


Who Are You?

by PanjaMysy



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Canon Divergent, Caryl is canon now and I am over the moon, Daryl is a good boy, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Past Child Abuse, Searching for Sophia, Zombies, mentions of child abuse, mentions of domestic abuse, slowish burn, whumpish at times
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-04
Updated: 2020-11-04
Packaged: 2021-03-08 04:13:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 53
Words: 160,420
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26809429
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PanjaMysy/pseuds/PanjaMysy
Summary: Originally Posted on FF.Net in 2012, so this story is not at all canon compliant.When Sophia goes missing, Daryl sets out to find her. This action causes Carol to wonder one thing: "Just who exactly are you, Daryl Dixon?"
Relationships: Daryl Dixon/Carol Peletier
Comments: 10
Kudos: 63





	1. Looking For Sophia

**Author's Note:**

> This is one of my most successful stories on FF.Net so I wanted to bring it over here and share it as well. Granted, this was written almost 10 years ago so...take it easy on me!  
> As always, feel free to tip your waitress over at ko-fi.com/panjamysy

_Good Lord, how much more can this woman possibly cry?_ Daryl Dixon rolled over onto his side and looked up at the figure lying on the bed in the rear of the RV. If it weren't deathly silent outside, minus the crickets and frogs making their night noises, no one would have noticed the little sobbing sounds coming from the darkness of the Winnebago. But his eyes and ears had the fine tuned abilities required of a good hunter and he could see her dark form shaking as she struggled to keep the crying as quiet as possible.

He couldn't take it any longer. He didn't know why those sad sounds she made every night tore at him like they did but he found himself unable to think of anything but finding that little girl. Sighing heavily, he stood up and grabbed his crossbow from the floor next to his bedroll and slung it over his shoulder.

"Daryl?" the smallest of whispers reached his ears from behind him. He only grunted in response.

He heard the sound of shifting material as Carol rolled over onto her back, he could feel her eyes watching him as he examined the arrows he was taking along.

"What are you doing?" she asked softly.

"Whadd'ya think I'm doin'?" he replied, the fact that he wasn't getting a lot of sleep lately was very clear in the harshness of his tone. "I'm gonna go find your little girl."

He didn't feel like explaining anything more to her. He didn't want her to know how much her crying tugged at his usually hardened heart. He didn't want her to know that he was doing this more for her sake than her daughter's.

The sticky heat of the day was gone and Daryl took a deep breath as he stood at the edge of the camp. The sun was just beginning to rise and light was peeking through the trees, making the gone-to-shit world look almost peaceful again. But he shook his head and laughed at his own thought. _Peaceful my ass. You think Sophia is at peace at all out there? Get your mind off the impossible and get your shit together._ He gave a sharp nod and readjusted the crossbow before making his way silently out of camp.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Carol's head was throbbing when she finally decided to stop faking her sleep and get up. She could smell SPAM cooking and she felt bile rise in her throat. She hadn't eaten in quite a while and she was to that point of hunger where one knows they NEED to eat, but the thought of food made you sick.

Swallowing the sick feeling, she sat up on the edge of the bed. She noticed Daryl's bedroll was still there in the walkway to the back of the RV and she smiled slightly when she remembered he was out there looking for her baby.

"God bless you, Daryl Dixon," she whispered out loud to herself. She stood, put her shoes on and then neatly rolled his bedding up, setting it on the foot of the bed. Then she turned, took a steadying breath and walked out of the RV to face the cruel world.

"Morning, Carol," she heard Dale greet her from above in his usually spot on the RV's roof. She looked up and met his smile with one of her own.

"Morning, Dale," she replied, "What time is it?"

"About eleven," Dale glanced at his watch.

_Damn._ She always managed to sleep much later than she planned and no one ever woke her up. But why would they? She wasn't really in a very good condition to be doing much. Sure, she kept busy with laundry, cooking and the like but she felt that those were chores anyone could do. Honestly, she just didn't feel needed or at all important to the survival of this group.

"Carol, you seen Daryl this morning?" Andrea's voice interrupted her thoughts.

"Not since sunrise," she admitted, that worried feeling grabbed hold of her guts and twisted them even though she knew Daryl could take care of himself. "He woke up early and said he was going out to look for Sophia. He's not back yet?"

Andrea shook her head and made an annoyed sound as she looked over the pasture towards the woods.

"One of these days he's gonna bite off more than he can chew out there by himself," she mumbled. Carol felt guilt sting through her and she hung her head and backed away, heading towards the fire where Lori had the SPAM laid out on a chipped plate.

"Hey, Carol," Lori smiled up at her, but Carol could see the smell of the cooking canned meat wasn't doing her any favors either.

"Hey, Lori," Carol said softly, automatically putting the meat on individual small plates and lids to pass out among the group. Lori laid a hand on her arm and stared at her intently. "Daryl's out looking again this morning…you know he goes out at least once every day? He claims he's going hunting but he usually doesn't come back with much…because he's doing a different kind of hunting."

Carol nodded. Yes, she knew. She knew and she felt a warmth spread through her at the thought. He was the only one who was taking a highly active role in finding Sophia and she felt her heart making room for the gruff, angry hillbilly. She found herself wanting to know his story, his thoughts, his motives…all of who he was.

"Daryl's a very good man," she replied to Lori, looking off at the distant woods, her eyes searching for a sign of movement signaling his return.

"Yes," Lori's voice held something different in it and she looked at Carol with an odd expression that she couldn't pin point. "Yes, he is."

"Who would've thought, right?" T-Dog said suddenly, making Carol jump a little. "I mean, look at who he's related to."

Everybody shook their heads in disgust. Merle Dixon had NEVER been a favorite among the Atlanta survivors. He had been brash and rude and positively disgusting and he was always yelling at something or other. Thinking back, Carol hardly remembered when she realized there WAS another Dixon, Daryl's silent solitary attitude had been far overshadowed by Merle's obnoxious personality. She remembered that she only realized he existed when he came limping into camp one afternoon with a buck on his back, crossbow hanging over his chest, arrow between his teeth. He had tracked that deer for days and had gotten the limp when the deer kicked him in the leg while struggling as he finished it off with a knife to the throat after it was on the ground from his arrow. They had had a wonderful meal that night and Daryl was proclaimed a brilliant and highly talented hunter. She remembered Merle's sneer in the glow of the fire as he watched his little brother's every move and Daryl's submissive countenance as he shifted under the weight of his brother's gaze.

Carol's heart squeezed at the memories. How could she not have noticed him before? Why had she never considered him at all valuable? Even if he never really talked a whole lot, he provided a good part of their food and he was brilliant with any weapon he had in his hands and she knew he had used all his skills to protect the group…well, she knew NOW anyway and from this point on she was not going to let his contribution go unnoticed.

_I think it's high time people realized that he's every bit as human as any of us and deserves a little respect. I know how it feels to think that nothing you do matters to anyone else._ That was the thought that popped into her mind when she finally saw him emerge from around the RV, without Sophia and looking like he wanted to kill a Walker with his bare hands. She made a point to avoid him for a while until he felt ready to tell her he had been unsuccessful once again. Carol realized how hard it was for Daryl Dixon to admit defeat.


	2. Seeing the Signs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Carol comes to realization and Daryl isn't happy about it.
> 
> Tip Your Waitress: ko-fi.com/panjamysy  
> Tumblr: solar-pxwered.tumblr.com

Daryl tossed the string of squirrels on the chair next to Lori, the way she placed a hand on her mouth to hold back the nausea made his sour mood lighten a tiny bit. Lori was the most easily nauseated pregnant woman he'd ever encountered. Not that he had encountered very many, mind you.

"Oh…god…" she stood quickly and ran to the edge of the camp where she dry heaved a few times. Everyone shot him nasty looks but he just shrugged, grabbed the squirrels and headed to the meadow to clean them away from Lori's sight.

The sun beat down on his back through the thin material of his shirt as he leaned over the first squirrel to start cleaning it and that's how he knew someone was behind him, because soon he felt the heat ease up because of someone's shadow falling over him.

"Need some help?" he heard that all too familiar voice ask, quiet as a mouse.

"Been doin' this my whole life, I think I can handle it," Daryl snapped, peeling the squirrel's skin back in a single yank. Heck, in this world even squirrel furs would be valuable beyond estimation when winter set in.

"I have no doubt about that," Carol assured him, squatting next to him and picking up one of the squirrels. It gazed up at her with blank black eyes and she felt a twinge of sadness for the poor creature, but she pulled the knife on Daryl's right hip out of the sheath and started to cut the rings around the legs and tail base of it as she had seen him do a thousand times. If you did it this way you could pull the whole skin off in a single piece.

Daryl didn't reply to her, he simply kept working on the squirrel in front of him. but he watched her movements out of the corner of his eye.

He had his first squirrel cleaned in no time while Carol was still trying to get the skin started to tear off, she was beginning to get frustrated and had pulled out a small chunk of fur as she tugged at the skin. Daryl rolled his eyes and grabbed the squirrel from her.

"C'mon, Carol, don't ya know nothin'?" he growled. He made a few quick cuts under the fur and gripped the skin between his thumb and pointer finger and yanked off the hide quick and easy.

Carol watched in disappointment, a feeling of that old familiar insufficiency rose up in her for a moment but she pushed it down, knowing that he wasn't trying to hurt her and that his anger at her was stemming from his failure at finding Sophia that morning.

"I'll do it right this time," she said softly, picking up a new squirrel.

Daryl gave a curt nod but said nothing else for a very long time as they worked in silence, the sound of birds and distant chatter from the camp were the only sounds to be heard. Finally, Daryl threw his half skinned squirrel in the dirt and chunked the knife into the ground, blade stuck deep in the earth from the force behind it. Carol looked up in shock, her fingers gripped and ready to skin.

"Fuck, Carol, I'm sorry I said that," Daryl's voice sounded slightly strained and yet very, very angry. "I just thought maybe today would be the day I found her, ya know? You have any idea how aggravating it is to be so close but still come back empty handed every single time?"

Carol set her squirrel down and nodded, not meeting Daryl's eyes. Honestly, she didn't know quite how _that_ felt, but she sure knew how it felt to be prevented from going out to look for Sophia herself while everyone else just seemed to carry on and forget that her little girl was out there still…everyone but Daryl.

"I ain't givin' up though," Daryl's voice lost its cutting edge and Carol found herself able to look up at him. She gave him a small smile and she noticed one corner of his mouth lift just ever so slightly, but she noticed the spark of light that he had in his eyes at that small moment and that was all she needed to know that he was telling her the truth. He would hunt for her daughter until he found her…one way or the other.

"I know," she replied, placing a hand on his arm as a gesture of confidence. It didn't have the effect she expected.

Daryl's skin twitched under her hand and he instantly jerked his arm out of her reach, his eyes went wide and a look of fear flitted in and out of them. Immediately he gave a low chuckle and muttered something about "tickles" and picked his knife and squirrel back up, continuing the cleaning.

Carol laid her hand limply on the ground for a second before regaining her wits. What the hell was that? She had barely touched him and he acted like she had put a red hot iron on his arm instead of her hand…and that's when she recognized the signs. The silent withdrawn attitude, the weak slumping shrug of his shoulders whenever he received any sort of praise, the eyes constantly watching everyone's movements, the twitchiness and the nervous habit of chewing on his thumb, the sudden withdraw from touch…these were all things she could relate to. These were attributes of an abuse victim.

"Daryl…?" she began carefully, not sure what to say.

But Daryl just grunted and stood up, his six squirrels cleaned and ready to go. He picked up the one she had managed to actually gut and clean and added to his group and started walking away. Carol jumped up and followed, a bloody, skinless squirrel in hand, and rode his heels right back to camp.

Lori had to run off and heave again as the two of them walked past the campfire to the board where the skins were laid to dry out. But neither of them met anyone's eyes as they set the squirrels down and then made their way to the RV.

"Are you going to talk to me or just keep storming off like you usually do?" Carol finally worked up the nerve to ask. Daryl turned around so quickly that she collided into his chest, he grabbed her arm effortlessly to keep her from falling backwards but released her as soon as she regained her balance. She found herself looking into those now familiar blue eyes, but they were full of rage and she stepped back instinctively. Ed's eyes used to look that way just before he would backhand her if she ever got cheeky with him but Daryl's hands remained at his sides, clenched into fists, his knuckles white.

"If I had something t' say, I would say it. You just keep your nose outta my business." the voice that came out of Daryl Dixon's mouth was low and dangerous and she could only remember ever hearing him sound that way one other time…when Merle had tried to coax a girl named Cassie off into the woods back at the quarry once, Daryl had seen Merle working her towards the camp's edge and had pushed his brother away with an aggression that Carol now remembered had terrified Cassie more than Merle's drunken advances. Daryl had stared his brother down and told him in that same deadly tone: "You pull this shit one more time, brother, and it'll be the last mistake you ever make."

And so Carol found herself taking a step back, suddenly feeling that she was in over her head. But Daryl's reaction had all but sealed the truth for her and she felt her heart squeeze uncomfortably and longed to do something to show him she wasn't trying to push him, but she knew she would be wise to keep her mouth shut at this point. Daryl Dixon was cornered, ashamed and hurting…and that meant that, at that moment, he was dangerous.

"What?" Daryl asked darkly when Carol stepped back, "You think I'm gonna hit ya?"

Carol shook her head, but she was ashamed at herself for it because inside she couldn't help but wonder if he actually would have if she had pressed the issue.

"Well good," Daryl took a step forward and shrank the space between them drastically, "Because that's something I would never, NEVER do, ya hear me?"

Carol nodded, eyes wide. She made sure not to retreat further and prove herself wrong with an action of distrust.

"Believe it or not," Daryl's tone was suddenly very tired sounding, "I'm not a complete animal."

"I never have believed that," Carol whispered quietly. Daryl looked at her for a few more seconds before sniffing angrily and disappearing inside his tent, leaving her standing outside feeling shocked and confused.


	3. Penny For Your Thoughts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daryl has a talk with himself and Dale sets Carol straight on a few things.
> 
> Tip Your Waitress: ko-fi.com/panjamysy  
> Tumblr: solar-pxwered.tumblr.com

_Shouldn'ta yelled at her like that._

Daryl's mind was running wild and no matter how hard he tried to focus he couldn't shake the feeling he hadn't handled the situation the right way.

_**Hey, don't feel guilty! She doesn't need to be pokin' around in your business!** _

Daryl nodded, agreeing with the side of his mind that he was use to going to for comfort and self assurance. Every time his old man has pulled out that belt with the heavy metal buckle on the end, he tried to reason out why it always flew in his direction. That hard and heartless part of his mind was the only thing that made him stay strong and not become a victimized pansy, it had made him stronger, tougher, meaner…more like Merle. Merle was never on the receiving end of their father's drunken raging, not since he had stood up to their father and broken his nose.

_Carol's not your father. You don't need to defend yourself from her._

_**Fuck that! Haven't you gotten it through your thick skull yet that no one could ever care about you? Even your own parents didn't want you.** _

Yeah, he had to admit that his darker thoughts had more reason behind them. Why would Carol or anyone else in that group give a shit about what he did or how he felt or what his past was like? His own parents never cared how he felt. Between his father's beatings and his mother's words he had fast learned to keep out of everyone's way and not draw attention to himself.

_**Anyway, the only reason she even knows you exist is because you, for some unknown reason, decided to try and be a knight in shining armor and volunteered to find her little wandering spawn.** _

_Shut up, Sophia is as much my concern as anyone else in the group._

_**Why? She's nothing to you. Just another mouth to feed.** _

_She's a little girl. She can't survive out here alone._

_**Survival of the fittest, Daryl.** _

_That's bullshit. Survival is for the ones who look out for eachother._

_**They're all gonna be the death of you, you know that right? You're stronger on your own.** _

_I'm alone on my own._

_**You're alone in this group. They'll never except someone like you as one of them.** _

Daryl's defensive side was thinking of a comeback when a raccoon bumbled out of the bushes to his left. He shut off his thoughts and took deadly aim with his crossbow. The raccoon never felt a thing, the arrow hit straight and true. Sticking true to everything he knew about hunting and tracking, he remained silent and collected the raccoon without rustling a leaf in the process. Turning to the left, he continued his hunt but the thoughts returned as the thrill of the kill wore off.

_I'm not alone…Carol notices me and she accepts me even when I'm awful to her._

_**She's a beaten wife, you ass. She's use to accepting anything from anyone. How are you any better than that worthless PTSD'd washout she was married to?** _

_I'd never hit her._

_**You so sure about that?** _

That thought made Daryl shake his head angrily. Honestly, he wasn't sure what he was capable of sometimes, but he truly wanted to believe that he was strong enough to keep himself from being an abuser…but they say it passes down from abuser to victim in a long, vicious cycle.

No…no. No matter how angry he ever got, no matter how unreasonable a woman might be with him, he would never stoop so low as to be like his old man. Daryl Dixon was going to break that cycle if it meant breaking away from anyone who tried to bring him out of himself. Keeping hidden had saved his life many times before, now was no different, only a new type of hiding. Hiding inside himself to escape heartbreak instead of hiding in the woods to escape broken bones.

Speaking of broken bones…that deer with the limp left some fresh tracks. Daryl smiled grimly and began the art of tracking down his newfound prey.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Carol had watched Daryl retreat into the woods across the field and sighed heavily. That man was a mystery to her. One minute he's giving her a flower, making promises to her and easing her troubled mind and aching heart, and the next he was breaking her down with that furious expression and his cutting words. But one thing was for sure. Daryl had a past that she assumed he had kept very well hidden and protected from the world.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Dale's voice interrupted her reverie and she spun around with her hand over her heart.

"Ugh, Dale! You scared me nearly to death!"

"Well let's hope not, we need you here!" Dale chuckled.

Carol wondered just who might agree with him if they took a vote on that statement. _Would Daryl vote to keep you around?_

"Carol? Are you feeling alright?" Dale's humor had turned to immediate concern. He was looking at her with an expression of worry.

"I feel fine, Dale," Carol lied, she was getting good at lying. "Just worried about Sophia is all."

Dale nodded in understanding.

"We're all worried about her," he stated, looking out over the field as well. "But I think she's going to be alright. Daryl will find her."

Carol looked at Dale and scrunched her eyebrows in a silent question.

"You think he went back out there just to hunt?" Dale asked, raising his eyebrow in return. "Trust me, he'll be looking for her. And he won't give up until he finds her."

"Alive…or not," Carol finished. Dale didn't look pleased by her statement at all.

"That's no way to think, Carol," he said sadly, placing a hand on Carol's shoulder. She shrugged it off and started walking towards the edge of the field.

"I'm trying to figure out what to think, Dale," she replied softly before she turned her back to him, "Since the day I lost her, everything's a bit blurry. I just have to take it day by day."

"We all understand that, Carol," Dale said, nodding. He had the kindness to see her discomfort with the subject and excused himself to take up watch on top of the RV, relieving Glenn to go find Maggie.

Carol sat on the log just on the edge of the field and watched the edge of the woods like a hawk. She wasn't really sure what she was watching for. Maybe she was hoping her little girl would come walking out of them, doll in hand and smiling when she saw her mother…or maybe she was secretly waiting for Daryl to reappear, safe after his hunting endeavor and back home in the camp on Herschel's farm with the rest of his new family.


	4. Not The Last Laugh

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Daryl laughs and Carol determines to make him laugh more often.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tip Your Waitress: ko-fi.com/panjamysy  
> Tumblr: solar-pxwered.tumblr.com

Carol jumped up from where she was sitting on the log that laid at the edge of the field when she saw someone emerge from the woods. Who or whatever it was looked pretty big and very unsteady, so she immediately alerted Glenn to check it out with the binoculars.

Shane looked up from where he was cleaning his pistol and squinted at the far off figure.

"That's Daryl," he said, matter of-factly. "He's got a deer."

"How the heck can you tell that from here?" Glenn asked, looking surprised.

"Honestly, you people need to sharpen your senses," Shane shook his head and went back to cleaning his gun.

"Are you going to go help him carry it back?" Carol asked in surprise, "Looks kind of heavy."

"He can handle it," Shane said simply. Carol realized there was no point in arguing with him so she went back to the edge of the field to wait for Daryl to get closer, hoping to see Sophia tagging along behind him.

But Sophia wasn't with him when he came dragging himself into camp, a large doe slung over his shoulders like a sheep caught by the shepherd. He looked much like the first time she had noticed him and she couldn't help but smile. Daryl had provided again. He was the reason they weren't completely malnourished. However, the realization that he had been unsuccessful in finding her daughter took away the pride and happiness of the moment and she excused herself and went off to pump some water to get boiling for the venison they would be having later.

When she had filled the bucket with water she felt a mad urge to stick her head under the faucet. The ice cold well water felt amazing on her sun-heated skin and she knelt there for a minute and let the water and her tears mix together as they dripped down her face. She didn't notice anyone approach until she felt a hand on her shoulder. She whipped around and saw Daryl staring down at her with an odd look. She immediately stood.

"Sorry," she mumbled, "It's just so hot out today."

"Yep," Daryl agreed, looking up and squinting at the bright sun. Carol noticed he was covered in a layer of sweat and dirt, his shoulders and back splattered with deer blood. His hair was sticking out wildly from where she knew he had run his hand through it. He looked…like he was in his element.

"That's…uh…a pretty big deer," Carol said lamely. Why was it so hard to think of words when he was around?

"Not the biggest I ever bagged," Daryl shrugged and primed the pump so he could scrub the blood from his hands, arms and face. "But it'll do."

Carol scuffed the dirt with the toe of her right boot and watched as he doused his upper half in water, washing away the grime from the day's hunt. When he stood back up straight, his soaked shirt clung to his body and Carol noticed the curves of many work-hardened muscles. She felt herself feeling like she wanted to stick her tongue out and just drool…it had been a long time since she had noticed or even cared how good a man looked under their clothes.

Daryl didn't seem to notice her approving stare, he turned and looked at her with an angry, yet sad expression.

"I didn't find nothin'," he said, "Looked while I hunted and…"

Carol let her eyes rise from his chest to meet his eyes. They were guarded, as usual, but she thought she saw something close to…vulnerability in them.

"Daryl, it's not your fault," she assured him, that unexplainable look deep in his cold blue eyes was squeezing her heart and making her want to reach out and provide some sort of comfort. But she didn't dare do that again. "You're looking and that's all I could ever ask for."

Daryl continued to look at her for a moment longer before he nodded once and brushed past her, heading to the tents to retrieve the deer and hang it up to skin and clean. Carol followed close behind him, her eyes suddenly dropping to the back pockets of his faded and torn jeans…good Lord but he had a very nicely shaped ass! How had she never noticed this before? Unfortunately, her admiration was cut short when she realized she forgot her bucket of water. Sighing, she turned around and went back for it.

When she returned, Daryl was pulling the deer up in a tree by its back legs with Shane. They tied it off and Daryl wasted no time in pulling out his buck knife and started to skin the deer from the ankles down to the neck where he cut all the way around the neck and then gripped the sides of its head and twisted…and twisted…and twisted some more until there was a sickening _crack_ and the head of the deer and the skin attached fell to the ground. Carol wanted to puke. Lori DID puke…right on Carl who then puked as a result. This seemed to amuse Daryl because she heard him laugh and she looked over at him quickly.

She had never heard Daryl Dixon laugh before. It was a very nice sound and higher pitched than she would have pictured, but it was his face that really got to her. His lips were parted into a wide grin, the white of teeth showing through them and his eyes were squinted in the corners from his merriment. He bent over slightly, placing a hand on one knee as he picked up his knife from the ground where he had set it to free his hands. His laughter continued for a moment until he looked up and noticed Carol watching him. Immediately the laughter melted off his face and was replaced with that same grim mask she was use to…but he couldn't hide what she had just seen.

And by God she wasn't going to let this be the last time she ever saw that smile.


	5. Sophia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Daryl almost dies and also finds something very important.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tip Your Waitress: ko-fi.com/panjamysy  
> Tumblr: solar-pxwered.tumblr.com

This farm was starting to feel much too crowded for Daryl's taste and he could literally feel the tensions running high and tight. Maggie and Glenn were acting strange, Shane was in Rick's face a lot while Rick tried his best to sidestep him. Lori was getting even more snappy than usual. Carl was feeling ignored and was trying to make himself useful and noticed. Andrea was getting gun happy again and was demanding more responsibility as a protector. T-Dog was silent and avoided any sort of confrontation. Dale was busy trying to get in everyone else's business to try and fix it. And Carol…Carol was getting clingy and was getting weepy again.

Daryl told Rick he was going to go looking for Sophia again that afternoon. He planned to borrow a horse from the stable and cover more ground that way and so he walked to the stables and saddled up a chestnut colored mare. "Nelly" was the name over the stall and he gave her a test trot around the yard outside before accepting her as a sturdy and reliable mount, then he set off toward the river he planned to follow downstream where they hadn't checked yet.

The woods were calm and the sound of the river running soon erased the stress of the camp from his mind and he fell into his natural tracking mode and managed to shoot a squirrel that was running up a tree. After that he urged Nelly downhill past a smooth rocky waterfall until they came to a pool at the bottom that turned into the river again and it was there that he spotted the speck of brown and white stuck in among the branches of a fallen tree. Daryl dismounted and tied Nelly's reigns to a tree and went to investigate.

He picked up the lumpy clump of material and examined it for a moment. When it hit him what he was holding his heart jumped into his throat. This was the ragdoll that Sophia had consistently carried around, she had had it with her when she disappeared! He scanned the area, searching for signs of her presence.

"SOPHIA!" he yelled, silently praying for an answer. But the woods remained silent except for the sound of wings as birds took flight in fear from his voice. But he knew now that Sophia had made it this far and that she was moving upstream so he got back on Nelly and turned her around and back up the steep hill until they reached the top of the ravine that the river ran through. Daryl was never a fan of heights and the view made his guts clench nervously. Nelly seemed to be nervous too, he noticed as a flock of birds flew up in front of them and she shied and nickered. Daryl patted her neck and soothed her for a moment before kicking her into a walk again, he looked off to the side and that's when he felt her tense under him. Nelly let out a frightened whinny and reared, throwing Daryl out of his thoughts and then she reared again, throwing him out of the saddle.

At first Daryl didn't feel very afraid because he felt like he was flying, then the feeling of impact against the ground was a little harsh but after he rolled through a few leaves and brambles he felt cold stone strike his body hard and stars shot through his vision, then another pounding of rock on his shoulder, then his other shoulder, then his hip, then he lost track of every direction and sensation until he felt the cold shock of water hit him and some of it went in his throat as he gasped from a sudden, blinding pain in his right side.

"Damn it!" he gasped, turning onto his hands and knees and half crawled, half floated towards the nearest shore. He felt disoriented and woozy from the long fall and the pain in his side was enough to make him bite back a cry. His hands flew to the painful area and he was horrified to find an arrow protruding from his side. "Oh, shit…"

Knowing better than to pull it out, he took a moment to get himself together again and let his body adjust to the pain. Then he looked up the way he had fallen and groaned…it was a long way up but he had no choice in which way he had to go. He grabbed a sturdy stick and leaned on it to release some of the tension from his throbbing side and his sore leg. He looked down at his side and decided he had to stabilize the arrow so he tore off his sleeves and tied them tight around him, hissing as it tightened over the arrow. After a moment of letting the pain fade…he began the climb.

It took forever to reach where he could see the top of the incline within a few feet, but he knew his strength was running out by that point and he began to lean on the stick for more support. But the stick broke suddenly and he lurched forward, cursing at it and tossing it aside, it was all up to his own strength now.

But as soon as he grabbed that vine and the loose dirt slipped and his footing was lost, he knew he wasn't going to make it to the top. He felt himself falling back again and he closed his eyes tight as the pain returned with a whole new level of fury. The arrow, he knew had just ripped even more of his tender flank from the jarring of the fall and he felt his skin tearing against the rocks as he rolled and then that water covered his face again and he managed to hold his breath…but this time, as soon as his head broke through to the air, his vision faded to black and he lost consciousness.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Daryl's dream had been so weird…Merle had been in it and he was kicking him in the leg, telling him to get up and stop being a pansy ass. Daryl almost smiled as he opened his eyes and still felt the sensation of his leg being moved by a second party, he raised his head slightly and looked down to greet his brother but came face to face with a Walker chewing hard in the toe of his left boot.

_Oh, God, it bit me! It's eating my leg off!_

Daryl started panting and a small whimper escaped him as he pulled his leg away and scooted back, the Walker growled angrily and turned to start moving upwards toward him. Instinct and survival took over and Daryl no longer felt pain, just pure adrenaline and he kicked the walker upside the head hard enough to send it sprawling before it came back at him. Daryl gripped it's arms and forced it onto it's back where they grappled for a moment for Daryl finally overpowered it and he grabbed a large stick and brought it down on its head…HARD.

But he didn't have time to think before a second zombie emerged from the bushes and came charging at him.

_You're gonna have to do something crazy or you're going to die. And you're going to go out as an all you can eat buffet for that freak!_

Hell no, he wasn't! Without hesitating, Daryl grabbed the arrow's half that was sticking out his front and pulled it right out of him, the feathers going through him made him growl in pain but he didn't slow down. He placed the arrow between his teeth and put his whole strength into pulling back the string of his crossbow, pain shooting through his side from the effort. But the sound of the string setting made him release the breath he was holding and his nocked the arrow, took quick, but steady aim and let it fly!

He heard the familiar sickening thud of the arrow sinking into skull and he saw the walker fall next to him. He lay there panting heavily, coming down from the adrenaline rush. He groaned loudly once more and he fell back into that black unconsciousness.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Walkers! Closing in fast!

Small eyes widened in fear and horror but small feet remained planted on the spot, not able to move!

_You HAVE to! You have to help!_

Splash! Splash! Splash! The feet ran across the shallows of the small river and their owner knelt beside the unconscious man. Small hands gripped his arm and shook him hard. But then they scooped up water and splashed it onto his face and he woke quickly, sputtering.

"Wha..?" Daryl shook his head and sat up, his head spun and his whole body filled with pain when he did. He was aware of the danger and noticed two more walkers coming his way. He pulled out his buck knife and stood shakily to his feet, braced as best he could. The first walker came at him and he side stepped, lashing out with the blade and caught it right along the back of the skull, severing the brainstem. The walker fell and Daryl's legs gave out as well and he fell to his knees in the river, dropping the knife before he passed out once again.

_No! No! There's another one! Get up, Mr.! Please get back up!_

Small hands gripped his shoulder but this time he didn't even respond to the water splashing and those small hand had no choice but to pick up the knife from the water and hold it out in defense. Luckily, walkers are not smart and the small hands landed a deadly thrust into the eye socket of the second one as it knelt to feed on the unconscious man in the water.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When Daryl woke again, the world was spinning and the sun beat down on him and his brain was fuzzy and confused. Something had happened, he had discovered something very important but he couldn't organize his thoughts at all!

"Sir?" a timid voice flitted across his senses and at first he thought it was only his imagination but then he blinked rapidly to clear his vision as his mind began to un-numb. That voice…it was familiar.

"Sir, are you ok?" No…it couldn't be…could it?

Daryl turned his head slowly toward the sound of the voice and the face he saw made everything else fade to nothing. Blue eyes, blonde hair, pale skin…it looked like…Sophia.

"S…Sophia?" he asked slowly. This must be another dream.

"Yes! You, you're part of our group! From Atlanta!" the little girl clasped her hands together and her eyes widened.

"Can't believe…found you…fine'ly…" Daryl was annoyed at how hard it was for his voice to work! "Gotta…gotta get you to your mom…"

Sophia's eyes glistened with tears and she nodded fiercely. She suddenly threw her arms around Daryl's very sore neck and began sobbing heavily into his chest.

"I thought everyone had stopped looking for me!" she whimpered, the sound went straight into Daryl's heart but he pushed her away and looked at her seriously.

"No, we didn't," he assured her, "Now let's get out of here before more come back."

Together the pair of them made their way toward the incline, Daryl stopped only to claim the ears of the dead walkers which he strung on a shoelace around his neck. He didn't really know why he did it…it just seemed appropriate. Sophia eyed him warily.

"That's gross…" she stated, backing up slightly.

"Yeah, well you don't have the luxury of being picky about your rescuer's fashion sense," Daryl said, scanning the incline for the path of least resistance.

They began the climb and Sophia reached the top easily. Daryl imagined Merle at the top, criticizing, insulting, telling him he was weak and couldn't make it…but Merle was wrong, he had done the impossible…he had found Sophia! This damn climb wasn't going to put him down. When he pulled himself up the final time and felt firm ground under him, he pushed Merle's words behind him and stood in triumph, mentally flipping off the entire woods.

He limped along, dragging his crossbow behind him as he stumbled from the pain and the weakness of his sore muscles. Sophia tagged along behind him and it occurred to him that she didn't truly trust him and that she was only following him because he was the only human she had seen in the last few days.

By the time they reached the edge of the wood, Daryl was on his last leg. But he kept walking, slowly…limping and dragging his more sore leg slightly behind him. He imagined he didn't look very good…because he sure felt like shit!

He heard the sound of footsteps coming at him fast and he raised his head slowly and painfully. Rick, T-Dog and Shane skidded to a stop in front of him, weapons raised. They stopped short and looks of horror filled their eyes.

"Is that DARYL?"

_God…they think I'm a walker! I must REALLY look terrible!_

"That's the third time you pointed that thing at my head!" was all he could think to say, but he knew he had to speak to show them he wasn't a walker, "You gonna pull the trigger or what?"

Rick's expression changed from fear and uncertainty to relief and amusement quickly and he lowered his pistol. Shane and T-Dog lowered their weapons and Daryl couldn't help but chuckle slightly even though the effort hurt his ribs. He was just about to step forward when he heard a distant loud noise and a sudden burning pain shot through his head and he felt himself jerk back and fall heavily to the ground.

_He fuckin' shot me! What the hell!_

But then he felt arms lifting him and heard Rick shouting angrily, sounding terrified. He felt T-Dog let go and Rick too his place at his side.

"I was kidding!" he mumbled, not really sure what had just happened. There was a sound of fast approaching footsteps again and he heard Andrea speaking in a panicked voice but he ignored her, trying to make himself heard over the noise to tell them Sophia was behind him.

"GUYS!" he heard T-Dog's voice from behind and he sighed, knowing that Sophia had been spotted. "I…I can't believe it…"

The last thing Daryl heard before the blackness took him again was Carol's sobbing laughter and Sophia's squeal of happiness.


	6. Every Bit As Good

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Daryl gets patched up and Carol is grateful.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tip Your Waitress: ko-fi.com/panjamysy  
> Tumblr: solar-pxwered

"Ow! Fuck, that hurts!" Daryl jerked and turned his head around, glaring daggers at Hershel who was stitching his arrow wounds closed.

"I told it was going to," Hershel said calmly, but his voice sounded amused which only made Daryl MORE surly. "Now lay there and take it like a man."

Daryl sniffed angrily, but complied. He rolled back onto his right side and gripped the pillow under his head tightly as Hershel threaded another stitch through. He looked around his field of vision and saw that Lori, Andrea and Dale had all joined Rick where he was standing around the side of the bed. The way they were all looking at him made him uncomfortable and he wanted so badly to shove them all out the door. Well just because his body was out of commission didn't mean he couldn't use his voice!

"What the hell ya'll standin' around here for?" he said, annoyance very obvious in his tone. "Ain't ya got nothin' better to do than stand around gawkin' at me and watching me get sewn like a ripped pair of jeans?"

Rick's mouth twitched with a smile and Andrea came forward to sit on the bed. She locked eyes with him and leaned forward.

"Daryl, I am SO sorry," she whispered, Daryl could hear the hitch in her voice as she fought back her emotions, "I saw you stumble out of those woods and…there was a glare on my scope and…I just wanted to…"

"Andrea…" Dale's voice interrupted the string of nonsense coming out of the blonde's mouth, "Let's you and I go outside until Daryl's had a little rest, huh?"

As the pair left, Daryl heard Dale say something along the lines of "wait for a better time" and then he lost interest and turned his attention to Rick.

"Sophia…?" he asked hesitantly. Had the little girl only been a dream? A hallucination from the pain and dehydration?

Lori stepped forward and grasped Daryl's hand firmly. He jumped slightly at her sudden approach and he inwardly lectured himself on the needlessness of his jumpiness.

"She's alive, Daryl," Lori said softly, "Thanks to you."

_Thank God! She was real!_

"Is she…? Is she alright?" Daryl said between hisses as Hershel tied the last stitch in his back.

"She's a little malnourished and she was long overdue for a bath, but she's perfectly healthy otherwise," Rick replied, taking Lori's other hand and standing her up gently. "She's with Carol in the kitchen right now having some decent food."

Daryl felt the corners of his mouth twitch, but he fought back the smile. No one needed to know how much it meant to him to know Sophia was alive and well…and that Carol was happy again. He thought back to the day he had bought her the Cherokee Rose in the RV, when she had given him that small smile and wiped her tears away he swore then and there that he would do anything to see her smile again.

"Well there you go, young man," Hershel stated, packing up his supplies. "Rest easy and try not to lay on that side if you can avoid it."

"Thanks, doc," Daryl mumbled. It's not that he wasn't grateful, but the position of helplessness had him feeling cranky…plus, they had all seen the scars now and there was no hiding them anymore. Hershel had even asked about them when he originally removed his shirt but Daryl had told him it was non of his fucking business and Hershel hadn't asked again.

Slowly, the whole lot of them left the room after saying their goodbyes and 'thank yous' and Daryl sighed when the room was finally empty. He was glad to be alone for a while and he laid there thinking about the world and how it had gone to Hell…as if his life wasn't Hell before.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Carol put a bit of everything on the plate and sat down at the table next to Sophia, the laughter in the room was like music to her ears and she had never felt so happy. Her daughter was safe again and she owed it all to that wonderfully confusing man, Daryl Dixon. And that's when she realized he wasn't at the table. She almost jumped up right then and ran up the stairs to find him and throw herself at him with gratitude, but Maggie noticed her sudden tenseness and shook her head at Carol, motioning her into the kitchen.

Carol followed her into the kitchen and the sound of the next room's merriment faded slightly.

"Carol, I know how happy you are about this and how much you want to see that boy but…there's some things you should know first…" Maggie said hesitantly, pulling out some bread, peanut butter and jelly from the cupboard. She began making a sandwich.

"Like what?" Carol asked, unsure if she really wanted to hear this.

"My daddy told me…" Maggie seemed like she wasn't sure how to put together her words in the right way, "I think it would be best if you approached him a little less…peppy."

"Well…he IS pretty sullen but…"

"Do you know why?" Maggie looked genuinely curious.

"He…uh…I know he had some problems in his past but he's pretty tight lipped about it," Carol replied honestly.

"Well my daddy said he's covered in scars…" Maggie said quietly, watching for Carol's reaction.

"Scars?" Carol gasped, her hand raising to her heart in surprise and pity.

"Yeah, all over his chest and especially his back…and those are just the ones daddy saw when he stitched him up, it's hard telling where else he has them." Maggie sounded sad.

Carol felt sick to her stomach at the thought of what could have caused those scars…or who. She had a suspicion Merle had something to do with them.

"Here," Maggie held out a plate with the freshly made sandwich on it, "Take this to him, it'll give you a legitimate reason to be up there. Just remember not to push him too fast."

Carol nodded and went to the stairs. When she reached the door to his room, she listened for a moment but there was complete silence inside so she knocked softly and pushed the door open.

The first thing she saw was Daryl's back, crisscrossed with jagged, silvery-pink lines of scarred skin that was long healed and then he turned over slightly to see who had come in and gave her a blank, unconcerned look. Then he pulled the sheets up over him, covering the scars. She felt her heart squeeze painfully at how vulnerable and alone he looked, like a kicked puppy.

"How're you feeling?" she asked quietly.

"About as good as I look," he mumbled, he kept his back to her and clutched the sheet tight to his chest.

"I…I brought you some dinner, you must be starving" she said, hoping it didn't sound lame when she said it. Daryl glanced back over his shoulder again and nodded his thanks, then rolled back onto his side.

She didn't know what possessed her then, but she felt like she would explode if she didn't show him how thankful she was and how much all this had meant to her. So she leaned over him and went to kiss him on the temple. But before she could, he flinched away and raised his arm slightly, like he was afraid she was going to hit him or something. She hesitated slightly before continuing and she pressed her lips to his temple, feeling the warmth of his skin under them, he relaxed a bit and she stood back up.

He was looking at her incredulously when she looked down at him, but he just heaved a little sigh and turned his back to her once more, muttering about watching out for the stitches. But Carol wasn't done yet, she thought for a moment before speaking again.

"You need to know something," she said softly, and she was thrilled when he rolled slightly to look at her, "You did more for my little girl today than her daddy ever did in his whole life."

She noticed the uncomfortable look he took on and how he nervously twisted the sheet in his hand when he rolled over yet again, back to her.

"I didn't do nothin' that Rick or Shane wouldn'ta done," she heard him mutter quietly.

"I know," she replied, feeling tears start to sting her eyes as she looked at him. "You're every bit as good as them. Every bit."

She didn't stick around to wait for a reply or see his reaction, she knew she had to leave before he saw her tears. Because they weren't tears of joy or the sad ones she had gotten used to shedding for herself…these were for him, and they were tears of an emotion she wasn't quite sure how to identify.

Why had it taken her so long to see that Daryl Dixon was just as good a man as any, and better than most? He had so much healing to do, physically and emotionally and he couldn't do it alone…she knew that something in her heart had just changed towards him and it scared her as well as excited her.


	7. Hey, Jude

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Carol has a nightmare and Daryl helps her fall back to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tip Your Waitress: ko-fi.com/panjamysy  
> Tumblr: solar-pxwered.tumblr.com

The next day, Hershel asked the group to go back to their camp outside and they all reluctantly left the comforts of the farmhouse behind. Daryl mumbled all the way down the stairs as T-Dog helped support him out to the tent they had set up for him.

"I can do just fine without all this pamperin'," he growled halfheartedly as they helped him down onto a sleeping bag inside the tent. He felt extra padding beneath him and wondered who was giving up their blanket for him.

"You hush up, Daryl Dixon," Lori said firmly, setting a lantern and a folded blanket next to him for that night. "This is the least we can do for you."

Daryl fell silent, deciding it was better to just get well so he could go back to being independent. He sighed angrily and laid back, ignoring their presence. Soon enough they left him without another word, but Andrea slipped in not moments later holding a book in her hand which she gave him.

"What? No pictures?" Daryl asked her sarcastically as he flipped through the dime-store mystery novel. But he knew he would end up reading it all the same…reading was his secret, guilty pleasure.

Andrea looked at him with an expression he wasn't sure how to read, she looked…guilty?

"Daryl, I am so sorry about yesterday," she said, leaning forward and scrunching her eyebrows together. "I thought you were a Walker, honest! I would never have shot you if I had…"

"YOU shot me?" Daryl suddenly understood her strange behavior. "You bitch!"

He meant it to sound mean and angry but for some reason he couldn't help but think the whole thing was funny since…well there was no harm done really. Andrea looked at him in surprise.

"Yeah, I am so sorry," she restated.

"You were protecting the group," Daryl replied. Andrea nodded and stood up, clearly uncomfortable, then she walked out of the tent.

"Hey!" Daryl called after her, she turned back to listen. "Shoot me again…best pray I'm dead."

She flashed him a grin and then she was gone and he picked up the book from beside him and started in on chapter one.

By the time Carol and Sophia were done doing the day's laundry, cooking and cleaning up of the camp, they had both talked themselves out as well as wore themselves out physically. Sophia began to yawn uncontrollably as they all sat around the campfire telling stories of their pasts, everyone but Daryl.

"Time for bed, sweetie," Carol whispered to her daughter who was leaning against her arm. Sophia answered with another yawn and a tired nod and Carol gently led her to Rick, Lori and Carl's large family sized tent. Sophia was staying there until they found a better way to divide because Carol was currently sharing a small pup tent with Andrea and there was no room for Sophia in there. Carol hated that, after the scare she had, she still woke up and had to remind herself that Sophia was safe in Rick and Lori's tent instead of seeing her right there next to her.

Carl and Lori were already in the tent and they invited Carol and Sophia in to join their little chat, but Carol smiled and refused. She was tired and needed sleep herself.

"Thanks, but I have an early start and I need to go to sleep soon," Carol said, leaning over and kissing Sophia on the top of the head. "G'night, baby. Don't keep Mrs. Grimes and Carl up too late."

"I won't mom," Sophia replied, the tiredness clearly noticeable in her voice. "I love you."

"I love you too," Carol meant it more than she could fathom.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------

The nightmare that woke Carol that night caused her to sit straight up with a gasp. She stifled it quickly and glanced at Andrea's sleeping form next to her, she didn't move and her breathing remained steady so Carol sighed with relief at having not woke her. Trembling, Carol pulled her knees to her chest and laid her chin on them, staring into the darkness of the tent.

The nightmare had been terrible, horrifying…but for once, it wasn't about Sophia. It was about Daryl. He had been alone in his tent on the edge of the camp, like always, when a pair of Walkers discovered him. She had been forced by her own mind, her own subconscious, to watch helplessly as the Walkers ripped open the tent door and went inside. She willed her feet to move but when she looked down she saw her ankles were help tightly in the grasp of two eyeless Walkers and she opened her mouth to scream only to find her mouth suddenly covered with a cold, lifeless rotting hand. She looked over at Daryl's tent when the screams started. He was injured, hurt and unable to defend himself and she watched in horror as spatters of blood were silhouetted by the lantern light inside the tent.

Carol shook her head roughly, trying to erase the images from her mind but they stayed firmly planted in there, causing her to lose her breath and gasp in a lungful of air to keep breathing. Her hands were shaking and her muscles were tightly clenched.

She didn't know what possessed her, but she grabbed the baseball bat that she kept next to her bedroll just in case and exited the tent as quietly as possible. She took a moment to let her eyes adjust to the moonlit camp and then moved slowly toward the edge of the tent circle. She scanned every inch of every direction as she made her way to Daryl's tent.

When she finally got there, she hesitated. _What am I doing?_ But then she took hold of the tent zipper and slowly unzipped it. Which she realized was a foolish thing to do when she found herself face to face with the end of Daryl's crossbow.

"What the hell?" he whispered fiercely, "You got a deathwish? You know I shoot first, ask questions later!"

Carol just looked down at the ground sheepishly, suddenly feeling very stupid…but still frightened enough to stay where she was.

"I…I was worried about you," she admitted softly, not meeting his eyes.

"What?" Daryl sounded incredulous, but the crossbow lowered and she felt some of the tension leave the small space they occupied.

Carol sighed and sat down on his bedroll and she was glad when he sat next to her. She looked at him then. His eyes held concern when they met hers, but he was still guarded in the way he was sitting.

"I had a nightmare," Carol admitted, she refused to let her eyes drop like she so wanted to do. She was still trembling slightly and she really felt uncomfortable under his stare, but she was captivated by him and so she wanted to look as long as possible. "You…you were attacked by Walkers in here and I couldn't warn you in time. I tried! I tried but they grabbed me and held me and…I watched you die. I was so scared, Daryl."

Daryl's expression was unreadable and a deep silence fell between them as he studied her face intently. It was a long, painful time until he finally shook his head and sighed.

"Well, I ain't dead," he replied, sounding tired. "Now go back to sleep."

Carol nodded in defeat and started to rise to make her way back to her tent, but she felt his hand close around her wrist and she looked over in surprise as he pulled her back down. He locked eyes with her as he slowly pushed her down onto the bedroll and turned her onto her right side. He then proceeded to lay behind her. Carols eyes were wide as she felt him slide his right arm under her head and his left arm draped over her side she felt his breath hot on the back of her neck and she stiffened, unsure of what to do.

"Calm down," he said, his voice was low and quiet and there was something in it that made Carol shiver again. "You're so tense all the time."

"I…" Carol swallowed the fear in her throat, "I just worry about everyone."

"Everyone but yourself, I've noticed," Daryl mumbled.

Carol didn't say anything…because he was right and she knew it, so what _could_ she really say? They laid there in complete silence, Carol listened to the soft, rhythmic sound of his breathing and she felt the steady beat of his heart against her back where his chest pressed into her.

"I miss music," she finally broke the silence. She didn't know where the heck that came from, but it was true and she had only just realized this fact.

"What brought that up?" Daryl's voice was scratchy with sleepiness and she felt guilty for waking him again.

"I was just thinking of how I use to sing lullabies to Sophia," Carol replied softly, her mind going back to the day she had brought her daughter home from the hospital…and they way Ed hadn't even looked at their new baby as she laid her in the crib. "Ed…never cared for Sophia. She was an accident to him. He hated me for not having the abortion…and I think sometimes that I sang those lullabies for myself just as much as for her."

Unbidden and unexpected, a tear slid down her cheek and she sniffed a little, trying to keep her emotions in check and not freak Daryl out. She knew he was bad with crying women…he never knew quite what to do. But she felt the tear drip off her face and she knew it had landed on his arm because she felt him tense up.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, wiping the tears away from her eyes.

"For what?" Daryl asked in surprise.

"For being this way," Carol whispered. She felt him shift behind her and for a moment she thought he was going to roll over and put his back to her or leave her alone in the tent but then she felt the pad of his thumb on her face and she flinched slightly. But he ran his thumb under her eyes and wiped the new tears off, then that hand pressed to her stomach and pulled her closer to him and she felt her stomach flip in a way she hadn't felt since she had very first met Ed, before she knew he was a monster.

"Ya cry if ya need to this time," Daryl's whisper was firm in her ear. "But this is the last time. I don't want you to waste no more time cryin' over that jackass. From now on, you gotta be strong for your little girl…and for you. No more of this self pitying shit."

So Carol let the tears flow…finally. She had held them for so long, waiting for Sophia's fate to be discovered, waiting until she was free from Ed, waiting to be told that everything was going to be alright. And Daryl just kept holding her close the entire time.

Finally, she had cried all she could and she felt a wave of tiredness sweep over her.

"Thank you, Daryl," she whispered, closing her eyes and relaxing in his arms.

And then, softly in her ear, she heard the most beautiful sound. Daryl had begun to sing, in a surprisingly soft and gentle baritone voice. She recognized the song "Hey Jude" as he quietly and slowly sang and he began to rock her gently back and forth, his body rocking with her. It wasn't a lullaby, but it seemed so appropriate coming from him and it was more soothing than anything any classical composer could have written. He wouldn't have won any singing competitions back before the world went to hell, but Carol thought she had never heard a voice so lovely and meaningful as the voice of Daryl Dixon as she drifted off to sleep.


	8. Pork

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Daryl provides for the group.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tip Your Waitress: ko-fi.com/panjamysy  
> Tumblr: solar-pxwered.tumblr.com

Daryl was long gone the next morning when Carol woke up. The emptiness of the space behind her where he had remained the entire night felt wrong and she sighed heavily as she rolled onto her back to look up at the ceiling of the tent. Yep, this was Daryl's tent alright. The mesh rack in the dome of the tent held spare bow strings, a container of beeswax, a collection of feathers that Carol assumed would be used for his homemade arrows, a box of bullets, the keys to his motorcycle and a fairly dirty rag.

Carol smiled up at the collection of items that were important to Daryl Dixon and finally made herself get up and unzip the tent to start another long day of surviving in the world gone to Hell.

But this morning looked like anything but Hell on Earth. The sun was shining bright but there was a delightfully cool breeze blowing and there was laughter all around the camp. Sophia and Carl were sitting in the middle of the tent circle with Lori who was showing them how to weave baskets, the kids seemed to actually being enjoying it too. Carol was glad of that, the kids needed jobs like that to feel like they were adding something to the group. T-Dog, Shane and Rick were about to head out with Herschel to help fix some of the fence lines. Andrea sat on the RV, eyes scanning the fields as she watched for danger. Glenn, Maggie and Beth were hauling water from the well to the house because today was bath day for a few people (they had a rotating schedule set up for baths and Carol felt herself wishing it was her turn today). Jimmy was chopping wood off towards the house while Dale loaded it into a wheelbarrow to take to the pile.

But Daryl was nowhere to be seen. Hunting, of course.

Carol stepped slowly out of the tent, suddenly realizing people might notice who's tent she was emerging from and start assuming things.

"Mom! Come look at this!" Sophia's voice was so excited and Carol was glad for the distraction as she examined Sophia's slightly lopsided, yet well done basket. She felt Lori's gaze burning into her but she didn't meet her eyes.

"Great job, honey!" Carol told her daughter, handing the basket back. "We can use it this afternoon. I think we should look for berries and mushrooms, how about you?"

Carl and Sophia both looked delighted with that idea.

"Can I come too!" Carl asked, glancing at Lori for permission.

Lori looked a little unsure.

"Well...is there going to be anyone with a weapon going along?" she asked. Carol had to admit, she hadn't thought of that.

"I'm sure Daryl would go," she found herself blurting out, "He'd be the best to help us find edible things in the woods anyway."

Lori's smile made Carol wish she had never said that, the woman looked absolutely smug like she had just won a long-standing bet.

"You're absolutely right," he stated, "He's very handy, isn't he?"

Carol met her gaze finally and blushed.

"I'll explain later," she promised her friend, she didn't feel like explaining anything with the kids right there.

"You'd better," Lori said with a wink.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Daryl found himself wondering vaguely what day it was exactly because the air was feeling different and he could feel in his bones that the seasons were about to change soon. Was it officially autumn yet? He wasn't sure, but he knew one thing...winter was coming eventually.

Winter was something he knew wasn't on the minds of most of the group, but it was plaguing him now as he stood in the forest looking up at the leaves. Yep...there was just a speck of orange on the top of that tree. Damn, winter meant less game, less plant life, and colder temperatures. At least they were in the south...they had that going for them. But it could still get well below freezing at times and Daryl knew they weren't prepared for that.

Fur. They needed fur. And food that would keep for long periods of time. They needed more blankets. They needed warmer clothes. They needed to get their butts in gear and get serious about prepping!

Daryl curled his lip in disgust. Honestly, if they would spend less time arguing about which direction to go next and more time living in the here and now, things would be going a lot smoother. Sure, finding Sophia had been a huge lift in spirits, but the moral was going down again due to Shane and Rick arguing over Fort Benning and Nebraska. Daryl thought Nebraska was a good idea, keep moving north-west until they reached Montana or Wyoming where there was less of a population to begin with...but no one had asked and he had no desire to get in the middle of the issue.

_Thunk!_

Daryl loved the sound of an arrow hitting home. He let a smile grace his face as he picked up the squirrel on the end of the bolt. He added it to the string of small game on his back and continued on his way. As good as it felt to be having a successful small game day, he really wanted something with a little more...well MORE. More meat. More fur. Maybe he would even try his hand at making lamp oil out of deer fat if he found one.

God must have heard his musings because Daryl spotted movement to his right and he crouched down as he aimed in that direction. Out of the bushes a wild boar came grunting and snuffling and Daryl took a silent breath to steady himself, an injured boar could be extremely dangerous. The boar turned to look straight at him and he didn't hesitate for a second. The bolt hit right between the boar's eyes and it dropped like a stone.

"We're havin' bacon t'night, ya'll," he said triumphantly as he pulled the arrow from the boar's skull. He hogtied (no pun intended) the pig's feet together and hefted it onto his shoulders. Time to head back with his prize. Carol was going to be proud of him.

_Where the Hell did THAT thought come from?_

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Well, would you look at that!" Andrea said suddenly from her spot on the RV, she was looking through binoculars towards the woods.

Carol stopped scrubbing the shirt she was washing and looked over her shoulder towards the direction Andrea was pointing. She couldn't see anything unusual.

"Looks like our hunter had a good morning," Andrea commented. That made Carol stand up and let the shirt drop into the basin of water. "We'll be eating high on the hog tonight, that's all I have to say!"

Carol walked over the the back of the RV and waited for him to come into her view. When he did, she smiled broadly and started walking out in the field to meet him.

As she approached he looked up from beneath his burden and grinned like a madman. Carol felt her breath catch. _There's that smile again!_

"Daryl, is that a...?"

"Wild boar," Daryl finished her question, "Sure is!"

Carol suddenly got Andrea's joke about eating "high on the hog" and she laughed slightly.

"Somethin' funny?" Daryl asked, looking confused.

"Just something Andrea said earlier...never mind, can I help you carry anything?"

Daryl took a deep breath and hefted the boar off his shoulders and let it drop. He ran the back of his hand across his forehead and let out a sigh. Carol smiled at the way his hair clung to his head from the sweat he had accumulated from carrying his burden and she waited for him to show her what to take off his hands. He unslung his crossbow from his back and handed it to her.

"It's diggin' into my back from the weight of that dang boar," he said, handing it to her. Carol took the weapon with a sense of reverence, the weight of it felt good in her hands and she automatically lifted it up to "aim" at a distant haybale. Daryl was looking at her with an odd expression on his face.

"I've always been afraid of guns and things," Carol mumbled as she lowered the bow.

"Can't be that way in this world," Daryl stated, matter-of-factly. "You, uh, you wanna learn?"

Carol was taken aback by his offer and looked at him in surprise. But he didn't look like he was joking so she nodded mutely.

"Well then, let me know when you're ready," Daryl grabbed the boar by the legs and hefted it onto his shoulders again. Carol felt her breath catch at the way the muscles in his arms flexed from the weight...damn, he was strong.

Carol trailed along behind him, gingerly holding the crossbow in front of her so as not to bump it or scratch it or anything. Every once in a while she caught him looking back at her with an amused expression.

"It ain't gonna bite ya, ya know," he said.

Carol nodded, but she put an arm through the strap and let it hang on her back like she had seen him carry it. She wondered how it looked on her...did she look even a tiny bit dangerous like he did when he had it slung on his back? She doubted it.

"Um...Daryl, I wanted to say thank you for what you did last night..." she began, nervous about his reaction. But before he could say anything, Carl and Sophia came charging across the field, squealing and laughing.

"Is that a pig?"

"Look at the size of it!"

"Are we eating that tonight?"

"What's it gonna taste like?"

"Where did you shoot it?"

Carol smiled at the children's excitement, but she noticed the look of annoyance on Daryl's face and she walked ahead of him to stop the children in their tracks.

"Hey, you two do me a favor," she said, giving Daryl a wink to let him know she recognized his discomfort, "Run back and ask Herschel or Jimmy if they have any rope to string up this pig."

The kids nodded excitedly, eager to help in any way they could. Carol watched them run back to camp with a smile.

When they reached the camp with the boar, Shane had already tied ropes from a tree to string up the boar. He and Daryl actually talked to each other in a friendly manner as they started butchering the boar. Lori and Carol were taking the strips and chunks of pork and washing them then passed them off to T-Dog and Glenn who were hanging them on long, thick sticks to hang over the fire. It would take a long time to cook through with how thick the cuts were.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Funny how butchering a pig can be a really fun bonding event. Carol was kind of disappointed when the meat was all cut and the group began to disband to their own things. Daryl grabbed the rope full of small animals he had bagged and went off to the edge of the field to clean them. Carol found herself following behind him, crossbow in hand.

She sat down in the grass next to him and just watched in silence as he skinned and cleaned the squirrels and rabbit. He didn't even look at her the whole time, but somehow she didn't mind. She wasn't the type of woman who needed to talk all the time, silence was sometimes just as meaningful as any words.

Daryl made quick work of his job and stood up suddenly, Carol followed his lead.

"Carol..." she heard him say quietly as he gently took the crossbow from her hands.

"Yes?"

He raised his eyes to meet hers and she found herself paralyzed. She had never really looked closely at his eyes before, but now she noticed how beautiful they were. There were the color of those little blue weed flowers that used to grow alongside her porch at her old house and there was so much emotion in them that she had failed to notice before. But at this moment, the emotion in them was unreadable as he stared directly at her.

"You're welcome."


	9. Foraging

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Daryl teaches Carol and the kids how to find food in the woods.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tip Your Waitress: ko-fi.com/panjamysy  
> Tumblr: solar-pxwered

"Mr. Daryl...?" the small voice made Daryl nearly jump out of his skin and he turned around to find Sophia staring up at him, looking slightly afraid.

"Jeez, kid, you don't need to be sneakin' around! If you got somethin' to say just say it!" he snapped, his heart calming down quickly, but he hated that she had been able to surprise him. Maybe his senses were dulling!

"Sorry," Sophia's eyes dropped to the ground.

_Nice job, you big asshole..._

"Whad'ya want?" Daryl purposely softened his voice slightly. Sophia didn't raise her head but scuffed the dirt with her shoe.

"My mom wants you...she's in the RV." she replied softly. Then she turned quickly and ran over to where Carl was standing with a basket in his hand. Carl gave him a look of dislike and Daryl sighed, feeling like a completely worthless human being, and walked to the RV.

Carol swung the door open just as he was going to open it and it missed smacking him in the face by mere inches, causing him to take a quick step back.

"Whoops! Sorry, Daryl," Carol apologized with a laugh.

"Ya tryin' to ruin my good looks, lady?" Daryl griped.

Carol gave him a look he wasn't sure how to read and then she shoved a basket into his hand, he looked down at it, confused.

"I need your expertise, Mr Backwoodsman," Carol stated, nodding at the basket he was holding gingerly. "Sophia, Carl and I would really like to go looking for berries, mushrooms and plants we can eat."

Daryl wanted so badly to say something snarky and rude as he usually did but instead he found himself wanting to smile. Finally, someone was taking this whole "winter is coming very soon" thing seriously besides him!

"Good idea," was all he said in reply before he turned and made his way back to his tent to get his crossbow.

\-----------------------------------------------------

"There," was all Daryl said, he pointed down at a cluster of bright green plant life. To Carol and the kids it looked like a patch of shamrocks, but Daryl squatted down and started pulling it up, handing it to Carl to put in his basket. When he had depleted the supply of plants on the ground he stood back up and took a handful back out of the basket and held it out for them all to look at.

"What is it?" Sophia asked, picking a single three leafed piece from Carl's basket an looking at it with interest.

"It's called wood sorrel," Daryl replied, turning the greens over in his hand. "Go on, taste it."

He took a piece and ate it, stem, root, flower and leaves all together. The others followed his example and their faces were priceless.

"It tastes like a green apple!" Carl stated as he chewed.

"No cooking required either," Daryl said as he put the rest back in the basket and winked at Carol, "If you ask me, that's the best part about it."

Carol nodded in agreement, anything that didn't require cooking sounded amazing to her. She nibbled on her pieces of sorrel as they continued moving and scanned the ground for more of the bright green treat. But before she found anymore of it, Daryl motioned for them to stop and he raised his crossbow. Carol didn't know how he managed to see the rabbit because she wasn't able to even pinpoint it until his arrow was sticking in it, she found herself looking at him with a sense of pride and admiration as he strung the rabbit on the rope he always had on hand.

"Nice shot," she stated with a smile. He looked at her for a second, almost as if he was expecting her to say something sarcastic and when she didn't he just nodded his thanks and began walking again, leaving the others to follow.

"Look! Mushrooms!" Sophia squealed excitedly, pointing at the base of a large tree to their right.

Carol noticed Daryl stiffen as the kids ran to the patch of frilly-looking fugus.

"Hey, don't eat none o' those!" he hollered after them. He shook his head in annoyance and crossed the distance between him and the kids in just a few angry strides. Carl looked up at him guiltily, a mushroom in his hand.

"I'm sorry! I...I only took a little bite! " he squeaked when Daryl snatched it from his hand and glared down at them.

Carol pulled Sophia up and into her tightly. The look on Daryl's face at that moment reminded her so much of the moment just before Ed would snap and hit her or Sophia, whichever was unfortunately closest and she found that familiar fear grab her heart and squeeze. But his stance wasn't one of aggression, she noted as soon as the thought has passed, and his expression held more fear than it did anger. She released Sophia when she realized that his harsh actions were nothing but concern and worry about the children's safety.

"Are they poisonous, Daryl?" she whispered, eyeing Carl and waiting nervously. Sophia was whimpering and Carl's face was pale and his eyes were brimming with tears.

Daryl let out a long sigh and tossed the nibbled mushroom piece off to the side.

"You're one lucky son of a bitch," he muttered, giving Carl what was an odd mix between a glare and a grin.

Carol let out the breath she had been holding and knelt next to Carl to pull him into a hug.

"Thank God," she muttered. Daryl crouched next to her and pulled out his buck knife to start cutting the mushrooms.

"Hen of the Woods," he stated matter-of-factly, like that made any difference to Carol. But she looked at the mushrooms closely, committing their appearance and the site where they grew to memory...you never know, she might need to find them again someday.

The patch of mushrooms was actually a very large yield and Carl's basket was completely full between them and the sorrel.

As they moved on from the patch, Carol snuck a look behind her at Daryl. He was staring straight back at her and she looked away quickly, blushing. Good grief, she was trying to be discreet!

"What?" she heard him ask from behind her, suddenly only a few inches from her and she jumped in surprise.

"N..nothing, I was just seeing if you were there," Carol replied lamely, still a little caught off guard.

"Of course I am," Daryl replied indignantly, "What, you think I'm just gonna sneak off and leave ya'll out here or something?"

Carol didn't get an answer out before he passed her by quickly and walked away bristling almost visibly.

_Somebody's a little bit touchy today..._

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_This foraging thing could have it's perks..._

_**Fuckin' stop that!** _

_What? I'm just saying...it's about the only chance to be alone with anyone._

_**Alone with Carol, you mean?** _

_Well..._

_**Since when did you start thinking about her like this?** _

Daryl's mind was a constant battlefield today. He had woken up with her face in his mind's eye and he hadn't been able to shake her from it since! She was getting under his skin and it seemed like every time she was close to him at all today little jolts of energy would shoot through him.

He found himself unable to concentrate very well as they left the mushroom patch. He watched her from behind as they started walking, admiring the way her hips moved and the tone of her calves just below the hem of her khaki capri pants. He noticed how she didn't let her arms swing loose as they walked but she crossed them in front of her, her left hand holding her right elbow in a defensive stance.

Earlier when Carl had scared the shit out of him by pulling that stunt with the mushroom, the fact that she had pulled Sophia away hadn't been missed by him. The look in her eyes and on her face made him want to kick himself in the ass! Looking back, he wished he had taken it calmer and hadn't been so rough on the kid...

_**What! You had every right to be! Any stupid kid knows ya don't eat wild mushrooms without knowing exactly what you're putting in your mouth!** _

_He's just a kid, and a city kid at that._

_**No excuse. It's common sense.** _

_Well, it could have been handled a little better._

_**You mean you wish you hadn't scared Carol? Admit it, this ain't about Carl's reaction.** _

_She doesn't deserve to be scared anymore._

_**It's a scary as shit world out there in case you haven't noticed...** _

_Yeah, well...then all the more reason. She should be able to count on the people in the group, not feel threatened by them._

_**By you.** _

Daryl shook his head angrily, ridding the thoughts from his mind. He found his eyes traveling back to Carol and just as he trained his eyes on the back of her neck, she turned and looked right at him! As quick as she had looked back, she snapped her head back around. Daryl found himself needing to shorten this space between them so he quietly stole up behind her, purposely getting into her personal space.

"What?" he asked, wondering what she had looked back for. Maybe she had something to say.

"N..nothing, I was just seeing if you were there," she replied, he saw her jerk in surprise and she stepped away slightly, eyeing him warily.

If Daryl had hackles they would have raised at that moment. So that was it? She was worried he wasn't going to sneak off somewhere? Maybe all that he had done for her so far hadn't proved anything after all.

"Of course I am," he snapped visciously, he felt his chest tighten at the thought of her words. "What, you think I'm just gonna sneak off and leave ya'll out here or something?"

Without waiting for her excuses, he turned on his heel and went to take the lead of the group, increasing the pace to a furious walk.

There was no way he was ever going to be able to push through the shadow that had been Ed Peletier and there was no way he could let his guard down enough to tell Carol the truth...so why even try?


	10. Foodgasm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Carol makes a move.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tip Your Waitress: ko-fi.com/panjamysy  
> Tumblr: solar-pxwered.tumblr.com

"What a haul!" T-Dog exclaimed when he saw the baskets full of greens, mushrooms and wild berries. "Are those strawberries?"

Sophia took one of the small, slightly orange tinged berry and handed it to T-Dog with a smile. "Carl found them! They're kind of sour because Mr. Daryl says they're goin' out of season, but they're still yummy!"

T-Dog's face twitched with ecstacy as he chewed the berry and Carol smiled. It sure was nice to be able to bring something special back and lift the spirits of the survivors. They all started gathering around the baskets and looking over the bounty.

"Look at all this!" Lori said happily, "Rick, do you think Herschel will let us use the kitchen tonight?"

"I'm sure he will," Maggie spoke up, "I'll talk him into it."

Maggie took Glenn by the arm and practically dragged him to the house with her. They emerged shortly and they looked triumphant.

"Daddy says you all are welcome to use the kitchen tonight," Maggie announced.

\------------------------------------------------------

Carol was normally right at home in a kitchen considering she spent most of her adult life in one. Cooking, cleaning, washing clothes, all of these were things she was use to and she had a certain amount of comfort in her familiar chores. This is why she volunteered to cook tonight's dinner from all the foraged food they had brought back...but right now she felt anything but comfortable. And her discomfort was due to Daryl Dixon.

"Can you, uh, hand me that potato peeler?" she asked, pointing vaguely at the utensil drawer. Daryl nodded and opened the drawer, his face became confused immediately.

"The hell you want again?" he muttered, shifting through the drawer. Obviously he had no clue what he was looking for and Carol rolled her eyes as she walked over to get it herself.

"Right there," she stated, pulling out the peeler and letting him get a good look at it. He furrowed his eyebrows and shook his head slightly. He grabbed a paring knife out of the drawer and went to work cutting the ends off of the wild onions that he had laid out on the table.

Carol sighed lightly and sat down across the table from him and started peeling the cattail roots and placing them in a pot. Every once in a while she would glance up at him, hoping to catch his eye but he remained focused on his task and seemed to be immune to her presence.

When he had come into the kitchen earlier that evening she had wondered what in the world he was doing there and asked him as much. He had claimed that cooking these things required special knowledge and he supposed he should be there to make sure she knew how to do it. But apparently she was doing a pretty good job because all he had told her so far was that cattail roots had to be peeled. In fact, he had barely even looked at her since their misunderstanding in the woods.

Tossing the last of the roots into the pot, Carol stood and place it on the stove so that it would be ready to start cooking once she got the meat cooking. She had plans to cook the rabbits that Daryl had shot that afternoon with the wild onions he was now trimming.

"Daryl," she asked when he tossed the last of the onions into a bowl. He looked up at her with a bored expression. "Can you cut the rabbit into pieces about this big?" She demonstrated the size with her hands.

"Sure," Daryl stood and grabbed the butcher knife out of the rack and started hacking the rabbit into smaller chunks. Carol watched for a second or two and then shook her head as she started sorting through the greens she had soaking in the sink. She drained them off and started trimming off the brown or yellowing parts of the dandelion leaves, sorrel, and watercress and tossing them into a salad bowl. She diced a few small tomatoes Maggie had offered her and added them to the greens and tossed it until everything was well mixed together. She hadn't seen anything look so appetizing since...she couldn't remember when.

"There ya go," Daryl's voice shook her from her thoughts and she smiled at him.

"Thank you," she said, "What can we do with the mushrooms?"

"Fry 'em," Daryl suggested with a shrug.

"Good idea," Carol nodded. She scurried about the kitchen in search of spices that would compliment the rabbit and onions and mad a very satisfying rub out of everything she gathered. "Hey, can you grab me a casserole dish? They're under that cupboard."

Surprisingly, Daryl handed one to her moments later without even asking what it looked like. She rubbed the spices firmly into the rabbit and then placed it in the dish piece by piece then added the onions and some water in the bottom to keep the meat moist then she turned on the oven and stuck it in to cook.

"There," she sighed, rubbing the sweat off her forehead with the back of her hand. Daryl was just standing there as silent as ever, but at least he was looking at her now. "When the meat's closer to being done we'll get the cattail started and fry the mushrooms."

Daryl nodded and left without another word, but she knew he'd be back to help her finish dinner...he always came back.

\------------------------------------------------------------------

Dinner that night was a very happy and delightful affair. The rabbit had turned out perfectly, moist and gamey but full of flavor and Carol was proud of her out of the blue recipe she had made up in her head. The salad was crisp and refreshing, a huge change from the canned food and instant boxed crap they'd been eating of late. The mushrooms were a big hit with Herschel, Shane and Sophia but the others only ate a few, but Carol decided if someday she had nothing else to eat those mushrooms would be like Heaven. The cattail roots were met with some odd looks of apprehension but Daryl broke the ice by taking one out of the bowl with his fingers and popping it in his mouth, grinning as he chewed it. Of course then everyone had to try it, most of them very satisfied by their asparagus-like flavor.

But the best part of the whole night was when Maggie disappeared onto the back porch and returned with a large wooden bucket...a bucket full of homemade vanilla ice cream.

There was a humongous uproar of delight, especially from Sophia, Carl and Beth as Maggie scooped the treat into bowls.

"Wait, don't eat it yet!" she scolded Andrea, who had started eating as soon as she was given her bowl. "Glenn, can you go get that bowl of berries out of the fridge? Nothing like fresh berries and vanilla ice cream, right?"

Carol couldn't remember the last time she'd felt the way she did when that spoonful of ice cream with the blackberry on top touched her tongue. The blissful taste of the smooth, sweet treat made her eyes flutter closed and a loud moan escape from deep in her throat.

"Foodgasm, Carol?" Lori asked, nudging her with her elbow and smiling impishly.

Carol was too delighted to blush or be taken by surprise so she simply nodded, her eyes opening slowly. The first thing she saw was the unreadable face of Daryl as he stared right at her. Normally, when she would catch his eye he would look away but this time his blue eyes stared straight back at her, his expression looked almost angry. A few second later he pushed his chair back and stood.

"Well it's been real peachy, but I've had about all the touchy-feely family style meal setting I can stomach for the night," he announced in his regularly surly way. "I'll take watch tonight. See ya'll tomorrow."

There were several "night Daryl"s and "see ya"s that followed him out the door as he left, but Carol was unable to say anything because her breath was still caught in her throat as she thought about the look he had just given her.

\------------------------------------------------------------------

The walk to the RV was the longest and most nerve wracking walk Carol had ever taken before. Her mind was screaming at her to turn back and go into the house to get some decent sleep but inside she knew she was going the right way. She took a deep breath when she saw Daryl's eyes shift from the distant field down to where she was approaching the RV's ladder. She pulled herself up anyway.

"Hi," was all she said as she sat next to him on the roof.

"Hey," was his equally uninteresting reply. The silence fell on them once again but Carol didn't really know what to say anyway so she just sat and listened to the sound of the cicadas, crickets, tree frogs and the distant, low croak of a bull frog somewhere off in the direction of the creek.

"You want somethin'?" Daryl's voice finally broke the silence, making Carol jerk at the sudden sound.

"Well...not really," Carol admitted, "I'm just confused is all."

"About what?"

"You."

She could feel Daryl's gaze burning the side of her face but she didn't look at him just yet, she wasn't done.

"What are we, Daryl?" she asked.

"Last time I checked I'm pretty sure we were human beings..." Daryl stated, sarcasm thick in his tone.

"You know what I mean," Carol wasn't amused. "After all this with Sophia and everything...I don't know, I just assumed we had grown pretty close. But I never know what is going to set you off. Like today...I never meant to make you think I was worried you would leave us in the woods. I don't know why I said that in the first place, I wasn't even thinking of that."

"Well, what were you thinkin'?" he muttered.

Carol finally turned her head to meet his eyes. She almost couldn't speak her next words because his gaze was so intense and darkened by the night shadows and the glow of the moon.

"Honestly? I was thinking about...you. How good of a tracker you are. How smart you are. How much you've changed since Atlanta. How important you are to the group."

Daryl's eyes took on a guarded look and she could tell he was mulling this over in his mind before he said anything so she continued:

"Then I started thinking...you're very physically strong and agile. And so...truth be told, I was looking back to do just that: look."

Daryl clearly wasn't expecting that answer and she saw his eyes widen slightly before he was back behind that nonchalant mask.

"You were lookin', huh?" he asked with a teasing tone.

"Yes."

The bluntness of her reply made Daryl look away and she noticed him tense up.

"But when you caught my eye I was afraid you'd caught me staring."

Daryl remained quiet for a long time after that statement and she noticed he started to chew on his thumb like her did when he was nervous or deep in thought.

"So..." he finally broke the silence, "Ya come out here just to tell me that you think I'm a stud?"

Carol took a deep breath, her nerves running haywire as she turned to face him.

"No, that's not the only reason," she replied, slowly and cautiously moving to where she was on her knees beside him. "I also wanted to give you something."

"What?"

"This."

Carol knew that what she was about to do would either make or break this connection she had with this man, but she was tired of pretending. Tired of hiding the appreciative rakes of her eyes over his body. Tired of the questions that ran through her mind every time she saw him that were "what would it be like?". Tired of not knowing how he felt about them. And tired of being afraid of the feelings she was carrying around. So she gathered her courage and leaned forward, placing a hand on his cheek, and pressed her lips softly to his. She heard and felt him take a quick, shocked breath through his nose when the connection was made and, at first, he didn't move a muscle.

But then, to Carol's relief, he let out a little sigh and he started to kiss her back slowly, his hand sliding behind her head to steady them. His kisses were a delightful mix of gentle yet purposeful and then they started to heat up and raise in intensity. Carol gasped slightly when she felt his teeth nip at her bottom lip and she opened her mouth slightly to allow his tongue entrance and that was a whole new sensation for Carol.

Ed had never kissed her like this, never with this much gusto. Kisses were rough and crude and few and far between with Ed...but Daryl wasn't Ed and Carol suddenly forgot that she had ever had anyone else besides Daryl's lips on hers and Daryl's tongue drawing circles on the roof of her mouth or Daryl's hands pressing into her short hair and sliding up and down her right arm.

But it was over far too soon for her liking because Daryl pulled back, but his hand remained on the back of her neck as he looked her in the eyes. Carol felt a stirring deep down inside her that she had forgotten existed and she squirmed slightly, Daryl's darkened and intense gaze was doing nothing to relieve it either!

"Wasn't expectin' tha'," Daryl sounded a little out of breath.

"It's been a long time coming," Carol admitted quietly.

Daryl's expression went back to being unreadable and he released his hand from her neck as he leaned back against the rail of the RV and looked at her from a slight distance, like he was studying her in a whole new light. Then, he made a slight motion that made Carol's heart squeeze happily. He nodded for her to come closer and so she did, and found herself laid out next to him, her head laid on his chest.

"You gonna stay and keep watch with me?" he asked softly as Carol felt herself starting to drift off.

"I doubt I'll be much help on watch if I'm asleep," she yawned, fading into sleep fast.

She was on the very last edge of consciousness when she heard him reply: "Just as long as you're here."


	11. Daryl's Gift

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Daryl makes something special for Carol.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tip Your Waitress: ko-fi.com/panjamysy  
> Tumblr: solar-pxwered.tumblr.com

Daryl didn't really know what possessed him to do this, but he somehow found himself walking through the woods looking up instead of down like he usually did. Squirrels skittered by and ran up trees, stopping halfway up to turn and scold him loudly. Daryl looked up at one and vaguely thought it wouldn't be so snarky if it had known how many of it's comrades he had taken down in his lifetime or how quickly he could end it's chatter if he had been out for hunting. But he wasn't hunting for squirrels this time.

_Oak...holly...birch...locust..._

"There you are," Daryl said softly, a grin spread across his face as he spotted the young hickory tree. He took the saw he had brought and walked around the tree, looking for just the right branch. He spotted a fairly thick and sturdy branch full of leaves and new smaller branches starting on it and he nodded to himself. Hanging the handsaw on his belt, he grabbed the lower branches and pulled himself up until he reached the intended branch and he began cutting.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Carol nervously watched the edge of the forest and paced along the edge of the camp. The sun was nearly about to set and Daryl hadn't returned yet. He had gone out at about nine that morning and there hadn't been hide nor hair of him since.

"Daryl Dixon, where on earth are you?" she muttered to herself. She tore herself away from her vigil because people were starting to look at her funny and she didn't feel like explaining anything at the moment so she busied herself with helping Lori cook dinner over the fire. Canned peas and leftover squirrel from the night before.

They had just gotten plates full and were passing them out when Daryl walked into the circle of tents. Carol found a weight fall off her shoulders and she sighed at the sight of him safe and sound. He caught her eye and she thought there was something different in his expression...like mischief or something.

"You look pleased as punch," Carol stated as he took his plate from Lori with a nod and sat on the stump next to her. "Have a good hunt?"

"You could say that," was all the reply she got before he started stuffing his face with dinner. Carol curled her lip in disgust as she watched him chew but she didn't press the matter, he would talk when he was ready and not before. That's just how Daryl was and she wouldn't want him any other way, really.

The group sat around the fire for a good long time into the night, chatting about anything and everything. At the moment, Andrea was sharing a story about a dress her mother made her when she was little that she accidently ruined because she was playing football with the boys in her neighborhood. It was all very amusing because Andrea acted out her mother's reaction.

"Andrea! I told you time and again to act like a young lady, not a complete savage!" Andrea stood up and stuck her stomach out as far as it would go, insinuating that her mother was a hefty woman.

The entire group burst into laughter and Carol noticed that even Daryl's lips quirked at the impression.

"God...I miss my mom," Andrea then said quietly, taking her seat and looking thoughtfully into the dying embers of the campfire. The mood dampened and silence fell over the group, the night sounds of the farm filled their ears but no one was really listening anymore...everyone was lost in their own thoughts.

Finally, Glenn and Maggie made the first move and excused themselves to go off to the stables. Normally there would be some teasing directed at the pair because everyone knew what they did in those stables, but not this time. Carol was starting to feel stifled by the bleak atmosphere so she stood up and announced she was going to bed and, after waking Sophia who had fallen asleep on the ground with Carl, headed to the tent.

"I'll be back in a minute, sweetie," she said to Sophia as she kissed her goodnight. Sophia looked like she didn't even hear her, she just laid down in her sleeping bag and started snoring lightly in mere seconds. Carol smiled and backed out of the tent, grabbing her toothbrush from her bag. Her butt bumped into something, however, and she looked back to see Daryl standing there, looking down at where her rear end connected to his knees with an amused expression.

"Can I help you?" Carol asked, cocking her eyebrow in a "say something snarky, I dare you" kind of way.

"Just...checkin' on ya," Daryl replied simply.

"I'm just fine..." Carol wondered if he was going to clarify what exactly needed checking on. "I just was getting tired and I knew Sophia needed to get to sleep as well."

"Ok, good." was the only thing he said before he gave her a nod and started walking off toward his tent which was still a bit of a distance from the camp.

"Daryl?" Carol called out to him, even though she wasn't sure what to say. All she knew was she didn't want him to go just yet. "Uh...are we gonna forage at all tomorrow?"

Daryl seemed to consider this deeply for a moment before he shook his head.

"Naw, I got somethin' I need to do tomorrow," he replied, "But maybe the day after."

"Ok, good luck tomorrow with whatever you're doing," Carol knew he was tired from the way he was swaying slightly on his feet and how his eyes were starting to squint a little. "Get some sleep, you deserve it."

"Hell yeah I do. Providing for all ya'll is a never ending job!" Daryl mumbled as he turned and left the circle of tents.

But Carol knew he enjoyed every minute of providing for them.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Carol spent the day with Maggie, sun drying the extra mushrooms from dinner as well as an abundance of tomatoes from the Herschel garden, washing all the girls' laundry, and also weeded said garden with Patricia and Beth.

She kept herself busy after those chores by doing some homework with Sophia and Carl. That was probably the hardest chore of them all...neither child felt like studying when the weather was this nice and they were all kinds of squirmy and distracted.

When Carl had finished his last math problem and Sophia had written the last part of her paper on Theodore Roosevelt's Rough Riders, Carol finally said they could be done for the evening and they bolted like wild horses. She watched them run off and smiled widely when she saw Daryl's figure returning from the woods.

He walked into camp and tossed down his catches: three squirrels, a quail and a fox. Carol looked at the fox sadly, she had always loved the pretty creatures. But Daryl snapped her out of when he gently grabbed her elbow and tugged her towards the field.

"What?" Carol asked in surprise, "Where are we going?"

"You'll see."

Carol allowed him to lead her into the field and all the way through it to the edge of the woods. He finally let go of her arm and held up his hand for her to stop walking as he moved to stand next to a fallen log just outside of the trees.

"So um...close your eyes, I guess," he said, looking extremely nervous.

"Should I be worried?" Carol asked, but she closed her eyes all the same.

She heard him shuffling around a little bit and heard the soft crunching of the grass as he walked back to her, coming to a stop in front of her.

"Ok, you can look now."

So she opened her eyes and, at first, didn't register what it was in his hands. When it did register, she looked up into his eyes with awe and excitement.

Carol gingerly took the gift from him and ran her hand reverently along the length of it. It was a bow. It was made of some sort of white colored wood, it had a black leather grip, and there were intricate vines and leaves carved along the front of it. Carol turned it over and noticed, carved at the bottom on the back of it, her name carved in Daryl's handwriting.

"Oh Daryl..." she was breathless, unable to put into words how she felt at that moment. This was the single most beautiful thing she had ever been given in her life. He had spent the last two days working on this for her, putting his whole focus into every little detail and making it absolutely flawless.

"It's nothin'," Daryl said with a shrug.

Carol finally tore her gaze from the long bow and met his eyes. Careful not to hit him with it, but also with reckless abandon, Carol flung her arms around his neck and pulled him into a deep, heavy kiss. She felt his lips turn up into a smile before they reciprocated eagerly.

The feel of this man was something completely new and wonderful to Carol. He was solid and strong, nothing soft about him except for his lips as they trailed along her jaw and his hair as she twisted her fingers in. The scruff on his face scratched her cheek as his lips found their way behind her ear. Carol had never felt more alive and more aware than that moment as she drank in every little movement he made and all the ways his muscles twitched and moved under her hands as she ran them up under the front of his shirt, feeling the heat of his skin against her palms.

After what seemed to Carol far too short a time, Daryl kissed her lips once more and then pulled back to look at her face.

"Well...I guess maybe it's not nothin'," he said, grinning like crazy. "I should make you another one if this what it gets me."

"I'm not done thanking you for this one properly yet," Carol said with a wink and she thanked him quite a lot before Rick and Shane walked out of the woods on their way back from their patrol and they jumped apart awkwardly, both blushing like schoolchildren caught kissing behind the one room schoolhouse.


	12. Done Being A Victim

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Carol and Daryl both get what they want.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tip Your Waitress: ko-fi.com/panjamysy  
> Tumblr: solar-pxwered.tumblr.com

The sound an arrow makes when it hits the target seemed like the sweetest sound to Carol's ears at that moment. It was her first successful shot of the morning and she smiled at the quivering arrow sticking in the haybale target across the ten yard distance. It wasn't a bullseye, but it had at least _hit_ the target this time!

Lowering the bow, she turned and looked at Daryl with a huge smile on her face.

"I hit it!" she squealed, "Look, Daryl, I hit that walker!"

If she was looking for praise she knew immediately from the look on his face that she wasn't getting any. He was standing with his arms crossed in front of him, feet spread apart as he leaned slightly back, glaring at the target.

"And if that really _was_ a walker all you woulda jus' done is pegged it in the shoulder," he muttered darkly, "Take another shot."

Disappointed, Carol picked another arrow up from the ground next to her and took aim. This arrow missed the haybale completely and stuck in the board behind it. Carol's shoulder slumped in disappointment and she sighed.

"This is impossible," she said sadly, letting the bow hang limply at her side.

She heard his footsteps approaching and she looked up to find him holding out his hand. She almost placed her own hand in it until she realized he wanted the bow. She handed it to him and he pushed her aside lightly and leaned over to pick up an arrow. She watched as he spread and planted his feet firmly, raised the bow, pulled back the string and released in barely a second's time. Carol looked in disbelief at the arrow that was now sticking in the middle of the top of the haybale.

"Wow..."she whispered in disbelief.

"It takes practice, Carol," Daryl said simply, "You don't normally hit bullseyes the first three times ya shoot. Plus, you have to have the right stance, grip and all that."

"I thought I did," Carol whined.

Daryl gave her a look that clearly said "don't even start that".

"Just watch," he said, pulling the string back and raising the bow into position, "Take a real good look at how I'm holding it."

And take a real good look was just what Carol did. She went right up to him and studied every little detail about him. She admired the way the muscles in his arms flexed as he held the string back firm and steady, the way his cobalt blue eyes stayed trained with deadly purpose on the target, the way his left hand comfortably gripped the leather just beneath the invisible arrow, the way his shoulders were straight and strong, the way his legs remained motionless and sturdy beneath him...he looked like a filthy rendition of a Roman statue of an archer she had once seen at a museum in college.

He released the tension of the string slowly so as not to dry fire and handed the bow back to her.

"Show me."

So Carol kept the picture of him in her mind and tried to make her body copy exactly how he had done it. But Daryl shook his head and stepped up to her, placing his left hand on top of hers and positioning himself right up behind her, his chest pressed firmly into her shoulders and his right hand pushed at her right leg. She moved it according to where his hand was telling it to go and then he pushed gently at her elbow, lowering it slightly. But Carol's breath really caught in her throat when he pressed a hand just above her breasts and pushed her back into him.

"Stand straight," was all he said and then he backed off, leaving Carol feeling very odd and very disappointed. Odd, because the stance felt so much different than how she had stood before. Disappointed, because her body was so quickly deprived of his.

She lowered the bow and he handed her an arrow.

"Try it with those things in mind," he stated. "Legs further apart. Elbow straight. Chest up."

So Carol tried. And she succeeded. The arrow made a _thwump_ sound as it embedded in the very center of the haybale.

Carol lowered the bow and glanced at Daryl. The corner of his lips twitched up into a crooked smile and he nodded his approval. Carol felt her heart skip a beat.

"That's what I'm talkin' about," he said, sounding genuinely proud, "You'll be givin' me competition in the hunting racket next thing we know."

Carol highly doubted that, but it was a nice thing for him to say anyway.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------

But Carol didn't get a chance to practice the next day because all Hell broke loose on the farm. Of course they all knew about the barn being full of walkers and they all knew that the notion of it had freaked Shane the hell out, but no one had a clue this was coming.

It all started with an argument between Shane and Rick as usual and it escalated all day until Shane finally snapped. Carol watched in fear as he started handing out guns to everyone around him and yelled about protecting their own. Then when he had seen the figures down by the barn, leading the walkers on dog catcher's leashes he had gone absolutely insane. Carol stood back and watched in silent horror as Shane ripped the chain and lock off the barn doors. The rest was a blur of groans, growls and gunshots. When it was over, the ground was littered with dead walkers and a heavy, HEAVY silence hung over the entire farm.

When the smoke settled and the weapons were lowered, the sound of Beth's sobbing shattered the silence and Carol felt like she was going to throw up as she looked around at the carnage. Herschel hadn't moved an inch from where he had fallen to his knees and Maggie had wrapped her arms around him from behind as she cried. Turning, she saw that Lori was holding firmly onto Carl, pulling him close in a protective way even though she was visibly trembling herself. Seeing them made Carol spin around looking for Sophia until she spotted her walking towards the barn from the direction of the RV.

Carol uprooted herself from the spot where she stood and ran to her daughter, shielding her eyes and turning her around.

"Please, Sophia, don't look," she muttered.

"What happened?" Sophia's voice was hushed and afraid, "There were so many gunshots!"

"It's ok, we're safe," Carol assured her, "We're safe."

And it was true. They were safe. Carol wasn't the biggest fan of Shane Walsh, but she was secretly thankful for what he had just done. She hadn't heard Rick's side of the story but she couldn't see how storing up walkers in a rickety old barn would ever be a good plan and when she saw him leading that geek on the leash she had lost a little faith in him. Shane had done the right thing, but he had done it in a very bad way and she knew there would be no peace between the two alpha males for quite some time...but at least they were safe.

She explained to Sophia what had just happened and hated the look in her daughter's eyes as she took all the information in with quiet acceptance. When did her daughter stop being afraid? When had she grown up so fast?

"I think Shane did the right thing," Sophia said quietly when the tale was through. "He was protecting us."

Carol just looked at her for a moment before she could find her voice.

"Yes, honey, he was...but it's no easy task to take a life."

"No one took any lives to day, mom," Sophia's blue eyes were emotionless as she said it, "Those things...need to be put down."

Sophia stood up from where she had sat on the seat across the RV's small table and headed for the door. It swung open before she touched the handle and she shrunk back as Daryl stepped in, his gaze was cold as he looked at her without any interest at all. He nodded his head toward the open door, a motion for her to leave. Sophia did just that, edging around him as far as the small space allowed. Daryl closed the door and occupied the spot the girl had left behind.

"You mad?" he asked simply, propping the shotgun he had used on the walkers against the wall.

"No, why would I be mad?" Carol was surprised at his assumption.

"Shane...well, that was kinda an asshole move he just made," Daryl looked out the window at the group slowly making their way back to camp. "Lori and Rick are pissed at him. So's Glenn. Herschel...well, we'll be lucky if he lets us stay after all that mess."

Carol sighed heavily.

"I think he did what needed to be done," Carol admitted, "But it wasn't handled well."

"Yeah..." Daryl stood back up, picking up the shotgun as he made his way toward the door, "Just wanted to know where you stand on the whole thing. How'd your daughter take it?"

Carol remembered the dull look in Sophia's eyes and she sighed sadly.

"She's...becoming more like this world everyday," she replied slowly, "I never thought my little girl would have to see so much death and horror in her life...I'm afraid it's making her cold and bitter."

Daryl nodded with understanding but if he had anything to say it was cut off by Dale storming into the RV.

"Who does he think he is?" he was grumbling angrily but he stopped short when he saw Daryl and just glared at him. Carol knew that look, it was accusation. _You did nothing to stop him_ his eyes seemed to scream. Daryl just moved to let the old man pass and then, with a nod to Carol, stepped out of the RV and headed in the direction of the barn to help clean up the mess.

\----------------------------------------------------------------

"I need to get away."

Daryl looked up from where he was crouched, sticking the tent peg into the dry ground. Carol stood over him, her longbow in hand. He couldn't help but smile a little as he looked back down at the rope he was tying to the peg.

"You never were one for confrontation," he mused.

"That's a big word for a Dixon," Carol said dryly. Daryl scrunched his eyebrows together and looked back up at her in confusion. _Damn, woman, I'm not the enemy here._

As soon as it registered what she had said, Carol's eyes widened and she looked horrified.

"Oh, Daryl, I'm sorry!" she squeaked, her hand covering her mouth as if she couldn't believe she had let the words slip out. Daryl stood up and moved to the next corner of the tent and drove the peg into the dirt with enough force to get it half way in despite the hardness of the ground. He started pounding it with the hammer he had brought, but he remained silent.

Carol slumped her shoulders in defeat and backed up slightly, setting her bow and the arrows on the ground. Next thing Daryl knew she had knelt next to him and her hand rested gently on his shoulder.

"That was...terrible of me," she said, her voice sounded tired and worn. "I'm just...tired. Tired of all the constant bickering and all the gossip back at camp. You know I don't think you're less than any of us."

Daryl exhaled through his nose with a huff and secured the last knot on the last peg and stood, cracking his back as he went.

"It hard enough to forget who I am without your remarks," he said darkly, his hand ran through his hair like he always did when he was nervous, worried, annoyed, etc. "Now, what the hell did you want?"

Carol picked up her bow again and handed him his crossbow. He took it from her and cocked his eyebrow, waiting for her to say something.

"I...I need some stress relief," she said quietly, and Daryl noticed her eyes were looking anywhere but at him when she said it. "If you're not too busy, that is."

Glancing around, he figured his new campsite away from the group was pretty much settled so he nodded. Shouldering his crossbow, he started walking towards the edge of the woods where they had set up their haybale targets and Carol fell into step behind him.

Neither of them said a word as they walked, the breeze was blowing gently through the tall grass of the overgrowing hay field and Daryl just let his mind relax as he closed his eyes and let it wash over him. It was the first cool day in a long time, now all they needed was some rain to make it complete.

When they reached the targets, Carol wasted no time in getting started. He could see the pent up anger inside her as she pulled back the string with a vengeance and the satisfied gleam in her eye when the arrow stuck deep in the bale. He found himself thinking back to the day he had handed her the pickaxe to put in her husband's head...that was the same look she had back then.

"You know something, Daryl?" she said then, derailing his train of thought.

"I know some things, yeah," he replied with heavy sarcasm as he handed her another arrow. "But not a lot, according to most people."

Carol cast a glance over her shoulder that held no amusement, but a little regret. Then she focused on the target once more.

"I'm tired." Carol's words were accented by the _thump_ of her arrow when it hit the bale.

Daryl waited patiently for her to continue as he handed her the next arrow, he gazed steadily at the back of her head when she turned back to shoot again.

"I'm tired of running," Carol's voice quivered slightly, or was he mistaken? "I'm tired of worrying. I'm tired of wondering where my next meal is coming from. I'm tired of thinking about the future. I'm tired of trying to please everyone. I'm tired of being the victim."

Daryl lowered his head slightly and looked up at her from under his eyelashes, taking in what she was saying. He silently handed the arrow up and she didn't even turn around this time as she took it. The silence fell around them and the croak of a tree frog next to him sounded like a cannon blast in comparison, but he simply waited, knowing that she needed to say what was on her mind.

"My daughter is following in my footsteps," Carol's next words were hardly more than a whisper, "She's withdrawing her emotions, trying to keep out of the confrontations. Trying to hide behind that...that wall of silence."

Daryl knew exactly what she was talking about. That wall was in his own life as well, built to keep the beatings at bay as a child, keeping Merle out of jail in his youth, keeping his head off the metaphorical chopping block now that he was in this group fighting for their lives. He had never been one to get in the middle of things and the silence had kept him safe and made him strong...but it was a lonely place behind that wall; lonely and it left no chance for change.

"I've been quiet all my life," Carol was saying now as he popped back into reality. "I was quiet when I walked down the aisle even when I knew I was making a mistake. I was quiet every time Ed raised his hands to me or forced himself on me. I was quiet when I knew he was starting to eye my little girl. I was quiet today when Shane broke open that barn...I've never stood up for anything."

Daryl nodded, but she still hadn't looked at him since she started her rant so there wasn't much point in the movement.

"And now...Sophia's got that same look in her eyes that I've had ever since I put on that wedding dress. She's losing the will to fight."

The last arrow hit the bale with less force than the others and Daryl noticed that Carol's shoulders were slumped and the bow now hung limply at her side. But he waited none the less, knowing how difficult it is to get all those things you want to say out. He wasn't going to push her.

Then she spun around and his whole body jerked in surprise and he lost his balance of the on-his-toes squat he had been in and he let out a grunt as his tailbone connected with the ground. Carol just stood there, her left fist clenched tightly around the bow's grip and he saw that there were tears glistening in her eyes, but there was no sadness there...only fierce determination.

"I'm done," she snapped, she dropped the bow and took a step forward. Daryl didn't know why, but he scrambled back a few inches on the ground and she smiled slightly down at him. "I'm done holding back. I'm not just going to survive anymore, I'm gonna start _living_!"

And then she dropped to her knees between his legs and her hands gripped the front of his shirt firmly and Daryl felt her deceptively small arms pull him strongly forward from where he was leaning on his elbows. Her lips clashed into his and his eyes widened in utter shock as he felt her tongue flick out without hesitation or any hint of the shyness her kisses usually held. He gladly granted her access and joined his own tongue to the fray as he moved slightly to adjust how he was sitting so he could support his own weight instead of Carol holding his torso up. He snaked his right hand around behind her neck and his left grasped her wrist, his thumb making tiny circles on the soft skin over the veins just below her palm.

A few moments later, Carol pulled away from the kiss and she leaned back, locking her gaze with his as she panted slightly. She had lost the furious look she had come into this position with, and Daryl noticed it was replaced with a look he had seen once in the eyes of a stripper Merle had hired for his eighteenth birthday...

"I'm also tired of pretending," she whispered softly, "I've been trying to work up the courage to do this for a long...long... _long_ time."

Daryl opened his mouth to reply with some sort of sarcasm, but his words caught in his throat as she yanked her wrist away from him and purposely slid it down his chest and stomach until she had him firmly grasped in her hand. He inhaled sharply and looked at her in blissful disbelief as she squeezed gently, but firmly. The gravelly moan that came rumbling up from his chest was silenced by her mouth on his and his eyes rolled back as she repositioned herself, causing her hand to press even closer than he thought possible.

Taking a slight liberty, he placed his hands on her hips and began a slow, deliberate upward stroke, taking the hem of her shirt his them. The heat of her skin met his palms as they slid under the flimsy material that was well worn from the months of hard living. The skin beneath was soft and warm, but the muscles were solid from the hard work she had taken up since Hell broke loose and he found that sexy beyond belief. He wondered why he never noticed how strong she was until now?

Encouraged by the fact that she had definitely not pulled away from him for that move, he moved his hands further up and felt Carol's slight sigh as he cupped her small breasts and moved his lips from her mouth to trail down her jaw until he reach the tender spot behind her ear. His hands worked gently, but his assault on her neck was just the opposite. He could feel the heat rising from between his legs where her hand was continuing it's firm strokes to move through every inch of the rest of him, he felt his heart pounding almost like the way it did when he spotted a good sized deer on a hunt! He nipped at her skin and ran his tongue over the spot almost like an apology and he loved the little gasps and the tiny squeals he was causing to come from her so he continued the onslaught on the other side.

But just as he was going to move his mouth back to claim her lips, she released the hold she had on his through his pants and he pulled back to look at her questioningly.

"What?" he asked huskily, annoyed at the sudden lack of contact. "What did I do wrong?"

Carol just looked back at him in confusion.

"You didn't..." she said hesitantly, "Look."

He twisted around, his eyes closed for a second because that movement made Carol's hips press into his and his vision was disrupted for a second. But then he realized what she was talking about.

"Ah, shit..."

There it was. That rain he had been thinking would be so wonderful not too long ago. It was falling heavily just across the field and he saw from the way the long grass was laying down that it was heading right for them. Stupid freak rainstorms...

He bucked his hips sharply in a motion for her to get off of him and they both stood up quickly. Carol grabbed her bow and ran to the target to retrieve her arrows and Daryl snatched up his crossbow but just as Carol ran back to him the torrent washed over them. Daryl groaned in annoyance, grabbed Carol's hand and took off running towards the farm.

He hated the feeling of the rain hitting him in the face, it was cold and miserable feeling. But when he glanced at Carol he saw that she was smiling despite her stumbling run and the drops smacking into her face. She giggled loudly and then broke into laughter as they slowed their pace and Daryl unzipped his tent. She stood there in the rain until he yanked her arm and pulled her inside.

"You're crazy, woman," he muttered as he zipped the opening closed. He lifted the glass from the lantern hanging from the top of the tent and searched around for the matches. Carol found them and handed them to him, that rain-induced grin still plastered on her face and he lit the lantern. A crash of thunder made them both jump and Carol started laughing again. Daryl watched her in silence as she held her stomach and doubled over and he found himself smiling in spite of the sudden interruption the rain had caused.

"Woman," he said quietly when she had finally stopped laughing, "Anyone ever tell you...you look pretty damn beautiful when you laugh?"

Carol's giggles finally ceased and she stared at him for a moment before smiling softly.

"Daryl Dixon," she replied quietly, "Anyone ever tell you you're the man of their dreams?"

Daryl gulped as Carol started to move toward him again, her eyes were soft and steady. "Nope. Never heard that one before," he said quietly.

"Well, that's because you're MY dream. Mine." Carol whispered, her breath and lips brushing his ear, the tingle ran down his spine and ended up causing that familiar twitch in his pants which he was sure Carol felt because her thigh was right there, he looked at her as she pulled back. Yep, she'd noticed.

"Um...I..." _Oh my god._

_**Stop freaking out!** _

_I have no idea what I'm doing...I've never done this before!_

_**Stick with me this time and I'll show exactly what to do.** _

And so, he finally stopped thinking and let instinct win the argument.


	13. No Holding Back

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Daryl and Carol take the next step.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tip Your Waitress: ko-fi.com/panjamysy  
> Tumblr: solar-pxwered.tumblr.com

Carol loved the sound of rain and the clean, cool smell of it and the damp chill it always brought right before it arrived, it was comforting and familiar and soothing. But at that moment, looking at Daryl Dixon as he sat cross-legged, soaked to the skin, eyes dark and shadowed in the light of the lantern, the rain was only making her nerves tingle stronger than ever and she had to fight herself to keep from jumping his bones right then and there.

A clap of thunder shattered her thoughts and she squeaked in surprise as her body jerked involuntarily, she noticed that Daryl jumped too and for some reason that seemed like the funniest thing in the world to her! She started laughing and covered her mouth when a little snort escaped, blushing but continuing to laugh. Finally she managed to control herself and looked up to see Daryl looking at her with a tiny amused half-smile on his face.

"Woman," he whispered, "Anyone ever tell you...you look pretty damn beautiful when you laugh?"

Carol found that her breath caught in her throat at his words and at first she wasn't quite sure how to react. But the day's revelation she had announced to him earlier was still fresh in her mind and she knew that if she was going to make a move, she needed to make it now.

"Daryl Dixon," she said quietly, locking him in her gaze as she moved to kneel in front of him, "Anyone ever tell you you're the man of their dreams?"

She saw his Adam's Apple bob as he gulped down what she assumed was nervousness or embarrassment, maybe a mix of both and she made a mental note to herself to explore that neck of his before the night was through.

"Nope. Never heard that one before." he said softly, his eyes never left hers as she continued her advance across the tent until she was almost on top of him. Something crossed her mind then, a strong sense of possessiveness she hadn't felt since the moment they handed Sophia to her in the hospital. She ran her hands up his legs until the came to rest on the front of his thighs and she leaned forward till she was mere inches from his face.

"Well that's because you're MY dream. Mine." she whispered fiercely, carefully brushing her lips along the ridge of his ear as she began to lean back again. She felt a tell-tale twitch beneath her thigh and she grinned wickedly when she met his eyes again. He looked...terrified.

"Um...I..." he mumbled, his eyes dropped down to where Carol's fingers were tracing a line from his chest to the button of his pants. He felt silent then and Carol wondered what was going on in that mind of his as she purposely pressed her thigh a little more firmly into the crotch of his dirty, worn and bloodstained cargo pants. Her action made his eyes flutter shut and he scrunched his eyebrows together, but he didn't move an inch for a long time and Carol wondered if he was going to kick her out of the tent for her boldness. She felt her confidence melt slightly and her gaze dropped down to where her right hand was absentmindedly tracing the line of light brown hair that ran from his naval and disappeared into the waistband of his pants.

But then she felt his finger curl gently under her chin and lift her face up to look at him and she found herself falling deep into the blue depths of his cobalt eyes as he stared at her with a look of determination. Then she felt her breath leave her lungs as he leaned forward, painfully slow, and took her bottom lip gently between his own in a quick, but strong, kiss. Then something seemed to snap and his hand under her chin slid up to the side of her face and he dug his fingertips into the back of her head, pulling her into his now fervent and desperate feeling kisses. Carol gasped for breath between his lips, teeth and tongue assaulting her mouth, trying to whisper to him that he was rushing this too fast but she found she couldn't get a word in edgewise so she pressed her hands into his chest and pushed him back as hard as she could. He backed off slightly, looking surprised.

"I'm sorry," he muttered, his voice sounded deeper than usual, Carol noticed, and she felt her stomach flip a little between that sound and the ashamed look on his face.

"Don't be," Carol whispered softly, cupping his face in her hands. "I just want to...I want to try some things first..."

She noticed how his eyes widened and she felt so wonderfully wicked and terribly, terribly nervous at the things running through her mind and she smiled at him and gave him a wink.

Gathering all the left over anger, determination and strength she had felt out in the field, she pulled back from him and moved forward, straddling his hips and pushing her palms against his chest until he submitted and laid back completely. She sat firmly on hips and "tested the waters" with a few small circular grinds again him, satisfied when she felt him harden slightly underneath her and heard him sigh heavily then she put her weight on her knees and leaned down until she claimed his mouth with hers, pushing her tongue deep into his mouth. However, that turned out to be a mistake because Daryl grabbed her by the elbows and pushed her back firmly, turning his head he started coughing and Carol felt heat rising in her cheeks from embarrassment.

"You tyin' ta *coff* do ta me, woman?" he asked, but Carol heard the humor in his voice and she made herself meet his eyes.

"Sorry, I guess I got a little overzealous..." she apologized.

"I noticed," Daryl replied, the corners of his lips twitched with a threat of a smile. "But don't stop now."

Encouraged, Carol toned the kisses down slightly and started slowly exploring the man beneath her. She kept her promise to herself and started working her way down, starting at his neck. She traced the muscles under his skin with her tongue and nibbled the bump of his Adam's Apple, making him chuckle a little before she moved down to the hollow of his throat and then the crook where his neck connected to his shoulder. She kissed along his collarbone as she pulled the material of his shirt out of the way, her hands slipped underneath and she ran them up his ribcage and over his chest. She felt him sigh and then moan slightly as her hands then began their descent. She gripped the hem of his shirt and pulled it roughly up to his shoulders.

He gladly sat up and pulled it off the rest of the way and her eyes scanned him with great appreciation. Carol took in every work-hardened muscle, every faded pink scar, every soft curl of hair on his firm chest as well as the tempting trail just under his naval, leading from his firm stomach into the uncharted mysteries beneath the khaki material of his cargos. She reached out with a shaky hand and gently traced a particularly thick scar that ran from his side, just above his left hip, around to the bottom of his ribcage. Daryl's hand grabbed her wrist quicker than she thought possible and she gasped in surprise, but there was no anger in his eyes as he pushed her hand away, only a look that Carol wasn't sure how to interpret.

"I'll tell you about 'em sometime, but not now," he whispered roughly, and to accentuate his statement he raised his hips and pressed the hardened bump in his pants into her thigh firmly.

"You promise?" Carol asked softly, tracing another scar just below his right collarbone.

"Promise."

Carol nodded and sat up, scooting her hips off of his and backing away from him, he looked disappointed for a moment before she reached forward and undid the button of his pants. He raised himself up onto his elbows and looked down at her in surprise.

"Well, you don't waste no time, do ya?" he asked with a cheeky grin.

"No time to waste these days," Carol replied as she pulled the zipper slowly down and slid her hand inside, gripping his length firmly but gently, smiling when his eyes rolled back and he sucked in a sharp breath. She stroked him experimentally a few times and watched the way his expression changed from pleasantly surprised to shocked to ecstasy in less than a few seconds with a small smile on her own face. When she stopped moving her hand, his eyes opened slowly and he met her eyes and she saw the excitement and arousal in the darkness of his gaze.

"Good lord, woman," he said breathily. "You're a damn tease."

With as wicked a grin as she could muster, Carol gripped the waist of his pants and peeled them down his hips to his knees, freeing him from the confines of the material. His eyes widened in surprise but he kicked the offending garment the rest of the way off with a gleam in his eye. Carol let her eyes travel slowly down from his eyes to where his erection was pressing firmly into her stomach as she leaned against him. She wasn't really expecting what she found, but she wasn't completely surprised...

"Always the rebel, huh Dixon?" she asked, her eyes trained on every uncircumcised inch of him.

And Daryl Dixon did something she would never have expected. He blushed.

"I was born on the dirty kitchen floor of a shack in the mountains," he blurted out quickly, a tiny hint of panic on the edge of his voice. "Not like I had a choice in the matter or nothin'." 

Carol laughed and immediately felt awful for it because his face took on a look of sad acceptance.

"If you don't wanna go through with this, I understand," he mumbled, and he started to pull away from under underneath her. She pushed his hips back down to the ground with her palms and got right up in his face.

"You know something, Daryl? You're ridiculous. Do you honestly think I'd be that petty?" she whispered softly. Her hands slid down a few inches and she took hold of him again. "Let me just show you exactly how much of a flying fuck I don't give."

And she didn't even give him a chance to react to her little speech, she moved herself down his body until her lips found the tip of him and brushed over gently, she felt his whole body twitch at the contact and she grinned at him before she parted her lips and took him into her mouth.

She didn't know what possessed her to do this. She couldn't really say why she had thought this was a good idea, but some little part of her mind had been nagging her since they had taken refuge in the tent that this was something she needed to do. Unwanted, the thought of Ed and how he had forced her to do this many times during their marriage shot into her mind and she almost pulled back, and when Daryl's hand slid into the layers of her now shaggy hair she almost panicked, afraid he was going to hold her there and take control, but relaxed when she realized he was only gripping her hair out of the need for something to hold on to. She bobbed her head slowly, loving the way Daryl's breath was coming out in breathy moans and grunts and and the occasional whimper as she worked. She picked up the pace and started twisting and pressing her tongue in different ways, listening to how he reacted. And then she realized why she was doing this: because she wanted more than anything to make him feel good. Because if anyone in this group needed relief and deserved this, it was Daryl.

She was lost in thought until she felt the hand he had threaded through her hair suddenly grip and pull her hair tightly and she squeaked in surprise and lifted her eyes up to meet his, but she didn't pull back. He locked dilated, darkened wide eyes with her and insistently pulled on her hair again.

"Carol...you better back off," he said breathlessly.

She lifted her head and he sighed at the sudden lack of contact, but she didn't remove her hand from where her fingers were curled around the base of him.

"But I want to..." she started insisting, but he sat up and grabbed her by the shoulders, pulling her up to his chest as he rolled her slightly to the side as he leaned over her.

"Don't rush," he whispered gruffly, "You ain't the quicky type."

Carol wasn't sure just how to take that but she didn't have time to think before she felt the rough, calloused warmth of his hands slip under her shirt and lift it over her head. She obliged him and let the shirt slid off her arm onto the ground next to them. Daryl's fingers traced up her sides until his hands slid behind her and twisted her bra hooks, she shivered when she felt the restricting piece of clothing loosen suddenly and slip down between their stomachs. He hooked the strap on a finger and flicked it away like it was an annoying bug or something and leaned back, his eyes taking her in with a look of appreciation.

"Damn..." he whistled slightly and gently cupped her small breasts in his palms, running the pads of his thumbs over her quickly hardening nipples. She shuddered slightly under his touch and he smiled at her, his eyes softer than she had ever seen and she counted herself lucky to be here with him now.

"Ed always told me my chest was too small..." she said quietly, nuzzling her nose into the crook of his neck as she savored the feeling of his hands.

"He was an asshole," Daryl stated matter-of-factly, his hands sliding down her stomach and he pushed her back firmly. She rolled onto her back with a giggle, but fell silent when he knelt between her legs and moved his hands to the button of her jeans and twisted, popping it open before Carol could even think. He had them down to her knees in no time and she lifted her legs to kick them off. He sat back and looked at her with a crooked grin as she tossed the jeans over her head, then she sat up and grabbed his shoulders, pulling him down on top of her.

She found her breath cut off by his mouth and she felt his thumbs hook into the waistband of her panties and her chest tightened nervously when he slid them off without any hesitation.

"Daryl," she gasped, turning her head to escape his lips.

"Shh," she felt his breath tickle her ear as he leaned down to nibble at her neck just behind it.

She saw little stars in her vision from the feeling of his lips and teeth and tongue on the sensitive skin of her neck, but she pushed against his chest firmly. He growled into her throat and she stopped.

"Do you not want to do this or somethin'?" he asked grimly as he settled between her thighs, pressing his cock against her core to emphasize the question. Carol let out a little moan.

"Yes, oh god, yes I do...but I wanted this to be for you," she said softly. "This isn't about what I want."

"Then, trust me, this is what I want," Daryl responded, seriousness in every word.

Carol relaxed and felt him do the same. He rolled partway off of her, his right leg still laying in between her calves, and his hand slid slowly down her body until it slipped between her thighs and she felt his fingertips slip between her lips which were understandably dripping wet from the anticipation. He hesitated for a moment but then he slipped a finger deep inside her and she bit her lip slightly as that long forgotten feeling shot up her spine and she wiggled into his hand. Daryl chuckled quietly and added a second finger and began to slip them in and out in a painfully slow motion, making Carol groan and push into his hand.

"Daryl...don't be an ass," she said with annoyance. He just grinned, but began to pick up the pace of his fingers, pumping them a little bit faster each time he pushed them back in. Then Carol felt a jolt of electricity shoot through her and it took her a second to focus on what was going on, but then she realized he had changed his technique and his fingers were curling and uncurling deep inside her, pressing into a spot she had almost forgot existed. She felt her whole body twitch each time he curled those strong, very talented fingers of his and she laid her head back in pure ecstasy.

"Oh my god..." she groaned quietly, her vision was starting to get fuzzy on the edges and she felt a tightening deep down inside her. But then the wonderful pressure inside her disappeared as he pulled his fingers out suddenly.

She whined at him not to stop but he just gave her a grin the Cheshire Cat would be proud of and he climbed back on top of her, positioning himself over her in a no-nonsense way, his eyes locked with hers, and Carol felt a nervous flutter in her stomach as he reached between them, guiding himself to her entrance. He pressed into her gently and waited for her approval.

"Daryl Dixon, stop making me crazy!" Carol growled, gripping his biceps firmly. "Do. It. NOW!"

She was trying to intimidate him but it obviously didn't work because he just shook his head in amusement, but she didn't have time to be mad because he cut off her thoughts when he finally pushed inside her. Carol's grip on his arm was vice-like as he let her adjust to him, but she soon relaxed her grip and moved her hand to bury it in his dirty blonde hair. He took this as a signal to continue and she gasped loudly as he began to thrust into her slowly, pushing as deep as he could each time, she felt him brush against that oh-so-sweet spot once and she let out a loud groan before she could stop herself. Encouraged, Daryl's pace began to pick up and his grip on her hips tightened as he pulled her into his thrusts, but she soon gathered herself together and began rising into his hips on her own, freeing his hands. He intertwined his fingers with hers and pushed her hands over her head as he started up an almost frantic pace with his hips, and his mouth crashed into hers with a desperation she didn't know he could be capable of, tongue working furiously behind her teeth, his breathy moans mixing with her own.

Carol felt a cramp starting in her hip from the angle and she tried to shift slightly, but he must have known what she needed because he released her left hand and slid his right hand under her thigh and hitched it up. She followed his lead and hooked her leg behind him, running her heel against the smooth, well muscled skin of his backside until the cramp subsided and she had a wicked idea. She took her now free hand and reached down, grabbing a handful of that tight Dixon ass she had admired for so long. Her action must have surprised him because he gasped slightly and then laughed lightly into her mouth as he slowed his strokes inside her.

But the slow pace didn't last long and pretty soon Carol felt that tightening deep inside her again as he pounded into her, hitting that spot again and again, making Carol's entire body tense and shake and she knew she was close, so very, very close.

"Daryl...oh, god, please don't stop!" she tried raising her hips to meet him but she just couldn't seem to get her muscles to cooperate.

His only reply was a deep, guttural growl and an increase in the speed of his thrusts, his fingertips dug deep into the flesh of her thigh as he hitched it up again and his teeth nipped at the top of her left breast, causing a little flash of pain that somehow felt amazing in this state of euphoria. Carol felt the pressure inside her building and growing stronger until, finally, she felt herself reach the peak and tumble over the edge. Her inner muscles clenched tightly around him and her hips jerked involuntarily as fireworks exploded in her vision and she vaguely heard herself scream as her mind went blank with pure, untainted relief. Moments later, Daryl's sporadic bucking ended with one last shuddering thrust and a few loud grunting moans and Carol felt a different kind of warmth spread through her as he released inside her and then collapsed, completely spent, on top of her.

"Can't breathe..." Carol wheezed from under his chest and he chuckled lightly as he rolled to the side, slipping out of her in the process, completely ending their connection.

"Wow..." she heard him mumble into her shoulder where his nose was pressed into her skin.

"Yeah...wow..." Carol agreed.

And she just knew inside that Daryl wasn't one for talk after sex so she fell silent and listened to the rain on the tent and the rumbles of thunder as she traced the scars that covered the hillbilly angel next to her, thankful for what they had done even if this was the only time, and waiting until the day he would be ready to tell her the stories behind these faded lines.


	14. Spill The Beans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Andrea gets the details.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tip Your Waitress: ko-fi.com/panjamysy  
> Tumblr:solar-pxwered.tumblr.com

_Drip. Drip. Drip._

Carol's eyes fluttered open and for a moment she almost though it was still raining, but then her brain kicked into gear and she realized the sun was shining through the material of the tent and she wondered what was making that annoying sound. The next thing she realized was that the warmth of Daryl's body was gone and she wondered when he had left because she hadn't even noticed. Man...that's how worn out she was.

Images of the previous night flooded her mind and she smiled to herself as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes.

 _That much fun should be illegal._ She mused as she looked around the tent for the clothes she had discarded so hastily the night before. She spotted them near the foot of the bedroll she was laying on, folded and placed in a pile.

She dressed with a smile and emerged slowly from the tent, she glanced up and realized the dripping noise was coming from the water dripping off the branches of the tree the tent was pitched under. It wasn't until then that she realized people would have noticed her absence...especially Sophia. Oh good lord...

"Mornin'."

The quiet voice seemed like a megaphone blast to Carol's newly awoken ears and she jumped with surprise and clutched her chest as her heart thumped wildly. But when she realized it was only Dale she relaxed and sighed.

"Mornin', Dale," she replied, emerging completely from the confines of the tent, stretching her back as she stood up straight. "What brings you all the way out here?"

"Just wanted to come check on you," Dale's face, she now saw, was full of concern and he cocked his eyebrow in that calculating way he does.

"How did you know I was here?" she asked, suddenly wondering just how loudly she had screamed last night...

"Had morning watch. Saw Daryl leaving to hunt and I asked him if he'd seen you," Dale stated matter of fact, "He said you both took cover in his tent last night during that storm."

"Yeah, it came on pretty suddenly," Carol said, nervously adjusting her shirt hem.

"I'm sure it did..." Dale's statement was left hanging, insinuating plenty in those four words.

Carol felt the blush creep into her cheeks and she avoided his eyes as she walked past, heading for the house to use the bathroom, making a wide arch around the campsite to avoid curious individuals.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Carol, honey, let's take a little stroll," Andrea's grip on her arm left no room for discussion and Carol found herself being dragged towards the barn.

"Andrea, I'm completely capable of walking by myself," Carol demanded weakly, "What's the rush anyway?"

Andrea glanced over her shoulder and her expression clearly stated _'Honey, you know EXACTLY what this is about'._

As soon as they reached the barn, Andrea whipped around and stared at Carol, waiting for her to speak.

"Andrea, what are you expecting to hear, exactly?" Carol asked with a sigh.

"Every single little, tiny, juicy detail," Andrea's eyes were positively gleaming with anticipation.

Carol's jaw dropped and she scoffed in disbelief. "Andrea!"

"Carol, don't play innocent," Andrea rolled her eyes and crossed her arms as he cocked her hip. "You gonna tell me you spent the night in Dixon's tent and managed not to even get some?"

"I...we..." Carol was so taken aback by Andrea's blunt question that she couldn't even think of a good way to answer.

"Spill the beans, Carol!" Andrea insisted.

Carol sighed and shook her head slowly as she gave up.

"Fine. What do you want to know?" she asked, sitting down on a haybale. Andrea sat across from her and leaned forward, eyes bright with anticipation.

"Well, obviously, how was he?"

"A little shy at first, but I think he was just surprised..."

"Wait," Andrea interrupted, "Surprised? You mean YOU started it?"

Carol blushed brightly but nodded, eyes dropping to the barn floor.

"Carol, you skank, you!" Andrea was grinning like a possum, "Ok, so did he, uh, gain confidence?"

"Yes," Carol replied honestly, "Very much so."

Andrea gave a dramatic shiver.

"So...where does our youngest Dixon brother stand in..." she waggled her eyebrows.

"In...?" Carol was confused by Andrea's lack of clarity.

"Size, Carol," Andrea cut the discreet crap. "How big is he?"

"Oh." Carol's blush must have been redder than strawberries in a bowl of ketchup. "Um...I didn't really measure at the time but I'd say...a good seven inches at least."

"Sounds about right to me," Andrea grinned wickedly, "Too big, you got problems. Too small, you still got problems. Should have known, though. Those cargo pants of his tend to...cling sometimes, if you know what I mean."

Yeah, she knew. Carol hadn't let the tell-tale bulge that seemed much more pronounced in those olive green cargo pants of his go unnoticed. She loved those freaking pants.

"So," Andrea continued, "Is he rough? Gentle? Romantic? Animalistic? I bet he's pretty carnal, isn't he? I just get that vibe."

"Actually, he was very sweet," Carol replied, her brain flooded with images of their escapade. The way he had touched her was almost like...she was something worth being careful with. He had made her feel...stronger than she had ever felt before. "He was nothing if not gentle."

"Well THAT is not what I expected," Andrea was smiling softly. "You love him, don't you? I can see it in your eyes when you talk about him."

Carol's eyes suddenly locked on Andrea's. She hadn't thought about this...DID she love him? Last night hadn't been planned out, it had just sort of happened. It was just sex brought on by rain and intense feelings, not love. But...maybe it was.

"I...I honestly don't know," she replied, shrugging. "I don't know what to make of him just yet."

Daryl stomped into the camp like he always did, his face set in it's usual grim and stern manner. He dropped the skinned and gutted raccoons next to Lori and cocked that half smile of amusement when she started dry heaving, but she recovered quickly this time and took the string of meat with a nod of thanks.

Daryl's hunt had taken much longer than usual, game was starting to become scarcer due to the weather getting colder. The animals were starting to slow down and prepare for winter, except for the deer, since it was rut. But he hadn't been able to find any of those today. He leaned back, cracking his spine to rid the kinks and looked around the camp.

That was when Lori got an idea.

"Daryl," she said, with fake concern, "I haven't seen Andrea in a while, would you mind looking for her?"

Daryl's remained unfazed.

"She's a tough girl, she can handle herself," he replied without concern, "She probably just needed some space."

That was about the reaction she had expected, so she moved on to her next game piece.

"Carol's missing too," she said, biting her nail to feign nervousness. She knew darn well where Andrea and Carol were. "I saw her come out of the farmhouse earlier but...we haven't seen her since."

Bingo. Daryl's expression was suddenly frightening to behold! He looked absolutely furious!

"WHAT!" he hollered, right in Lori's face making her step back, "You mean she's wandered off to God knows where by herself? Can't you people keep an eye on anyone around her?"

He shouldered his crossbow and immediately started heading in the direction of their shooting range, thinking maybe she was target practicing. Lori watched him go with a smile. Just as she expected...Daryl Dixon genuinely cared about Carol. Suddenly, all the worries she had been carrying about Carol being unprotected and insecure faded away. She was in good hands.


	15. Scars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Daryl tells Carol how he got his scars.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tip Your Waitress: ko-fi.com/panjamysy  
> Tumblr: solar-pxwered.tumblr.com

By the time Daryl returned from his hunt for the "missing" Carol he was covered in dirt, his pants were wet up to the thigh, boots covered in mud. Curious eyes followed him as he stormed into camp and straight toward Carol who was hanging up clothes to dry on the line. She turned around just when he got to her and she jumped in surprise when he cleared his throat loudly.

"Good grief, you scared me!" she chided, picking up the next shirt from the pile.

"I could say the same," was his ice cold reply. Carol looked at him with confusion.

"What?" she asked, clearly lost.

"I come back from hunting and you're missing." he stated simply, "Where the hell were you this whole time?"

Carol just stared at him for so long that he seriously thought maybe she was confused by the simple question. Didn't she KNOW where she had been?

"I was in the barn..." her answer was hesitant, "Andrea and I were...doing chores..."

Daryl wasn't sure why it was so hard for her to answer but he chalked it up to his sudden inquisition and shrugged.

"Just let someone know so I don't waste my time lookin for you all fuckin' day!" he growled, thinking of the river he had had to ford in his search causing him to get soaked up to the thigh and the time he had lost that could have been used for more useful endeavors. "I got things to do besides look for your ass when you ain't even lost."

Turning on his heel, Daryl stalked off to his campsite to work on making some more arrows for his crossbow like he had planned to do earlier in the day.

Carol watched Daryl walked off and let out a sigh of relief. When he had asked her where she had been she had been so close to admitting what had happened to ease that steely look in his eyes, but she had avoided it. But...he had been looking for her all day? That sweet, kind, sexy...

"Cool off there, Carol," Lori's voice interrupted her thoughts.

Carol felt her cheeks flair with heat and she quickly turned back to hanging up laundry. Lori was standing next to her, clipping a pair of tattered jeans on the line that Carol recognized at once as Daryl's.

"It's not so hot out today," Carol tried to blow off the comment her friend had just made.

Lori rolled her eyes.

"Carol, hon, honestly," she said with a sigh, "We all see how you look at that man. Just now you were eyeing him like a prized stallion at an auction."

Carol was really getting tired of denying it.

"Well...he IS a stud," she stated, grinning wickedly.

Lori started to laugh like crazy and had to lean over to calm down. When she looked back up Carol put on a look of fake innocence.

"Oh, Carol, I'm so glad you owned up to it finally!" Lori said, wiping away a laughter tear from her eye. "So...you two get _together_ yet? If you get my drift?"

Carol didn't answer straight out, but she gave Lori a wink before walking off towards her tent to retrieve her bow, leaving Lori happy but wishing for more details.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was just starting to get dark when Carol returned from the target range and decided now would be a perfect time to practice her "stalker walk" as Daryl called it when he had taken her out hunting once, so she carefully snuck along and walked as softly as possible, crouching down as she got closer to the lone tent under the tree.

Daryl had his back to her when she came around the tent, he was leaned over a stick he was rubbing with the edge of his knife to removed the bark and he was humming quietly as he worked, oblivious to her approach. She smiled and continued toward him in silence. When she got closer she hesitated to see how long it would take him to notice her presence and she almost giggled when he began to sing instead of hum.

"Stick your right hand out, give a frim handshake..." Daryl's soft voice barely reached her ears and she smiled at the soft sound. She had forgotten how nice his singing voice was.

He stopped singing for a moment to raise the stick and examine it, then leaned back over to continue scraping and singing.

"Stroke me, stroke me," his voice was only a little louder this time, but his head and shoulders bobbed to a silent beat in his mind. "Could be a winner boy, you move mighty well. Stroke me, stroke me..."

Carol couldn't resist, it was too ideal a moment to pass up. She covered the small amount of space left between them and slipped her arm around him from behind, her hand slid unhesitant between his legs and grabbed him firmly.

"With pleasure," she whispered in his ear as he tensed up in surprise, hinting at the lyrics he had just sung.

Daryl's chest vibrated with the deep chuckle he released at her words and Carol slid her hand slowly against the warm, slightly twitching lump beneath it.

"Are you still angry with me for wandering off?" Carol asked, honestly. She flicked her tongue out and ran it along the edge of his ear, loving the shiver that resulted under her touch.

"I'm pissed," Daryl's voice was slightly strained and Carol wondered if he was going to tell her to leave. "And don't think I don't know exactly what you and Andrea were doing in that barn."

Carol was a bit surprised by that and she immediately withdrew her hand and moved to kneel next to him, looking up at him in embarrassment.

"Are you...mad?" she asked hesitantly.

Daryl sighed and turned to face her, resting his elbows on his knees and leaning down till his chest pressed against the back of his crossed arms, his eyes locked with hers.

"Why do ya think I'm always mad at ya?" he asked quietly.

Carol didn't really know what to say. She hadn't really though about it. Maybe it was just that he always did seem angry or annoyed or bothered and she felt responsible for a lot of it.

"Well, you have that...vibe," she admitted. It was all she could think to say.

Daryl leaned back again, rubbing his hand down his face. His eyes closed tight and he didn't say anything else for a long time.

"I'm sorry," he finally whispered, so soft that Carol barely heard it.

Carol's heart squeezed with sympathy and she immediately got up onto her knees and got between his, placing her hands on his forearms as she leaned into him, pressing her head into his chest. She rubbed her nose into his shirt and pressed kisses into his chest as she gazed up him, eyes soft.

"You have nothing to be sorry about," she said, "I wouldn't want you any other way that your grouchy, harsh, brooding self. I'm sure you have your reasons."

He didn't look convinced so she went back to her original tactic and ran her hand slowly up his thigh, but he grabbed her wrist and stopped her advance.

"Come 'ere," he said quietly, pulling her to her feet as he stood. Carol followed without resistance as he led her to the tent and crouched down to go inside. Once in, Carol realized how dark it had gotten in the short time she had been back and she went to light the lamp but Daryl's arm slipped around her waist and she felt herself being pulled down. She relaxed into the pull and laid down quietly and she felt Daryl lay down behind her, his arm still around her middle.

Then she heard a click and the glow of a battery run lantern softly lit up the darkness of the tent. She wiggled a little and turned over to face the man beside her.

"What's on your mind, Daryl?" she asked with some concern, seeing the look on his face. He seemed...conflicted.

"Do you really want to know about these?" Daryl stretched the collar of his shirt down, revealing the thick line of scar tissue under his collarbone. "Because I'll tell you...but you might not want to hear these stories. They ain't pretty."

Carol took in the serious feeling of this moment. Daryl's protective walls were crashing down right before her eyes, something she never dreamed he would do for her. He was risking a lot with this and she felt a surge of admiration flood her heart. He was more brave than she had thought before.

"I want to know everything there is to know about you, Daryl Dixon," she replied softly, her eyes locked with his. "The good, the bad...the ugly."

Daryl nodded and sat up, peeling the shirt off of his torso and tossing it to the side. Carol's eyes once again scanned the farmer tanned skin of the man she had somehow had the great fortune to attract. Every twitching muscle, every pink or silvery line, every inch was perfect in her eyes, perfect in his imperfection. And when he kicked off his cargo pants, revealing scars she hadn't noticed before, she had to force herself not to reach out and touch them; attempt to soothe them.

"Where do you want me to start?" he asked quietly, shifting nervously. He looked terrified.

Carol eyed the scar beneath his collarbone that always popped out at her. She reached out and ran her fingertips along the short length of it. It was an angry pink color, not faded silver like many of the others...it was more recent.

"Merle," he said in a voice barely above a whisper, "Just before the group found us in the quarry. He was all hopped up on some drug or other, something hallucinogenic I suppose. Well...we got into an argument and he grabbed my buck knife off me and...stuck it in."

Carol gasped.

"How deep?" she asked.

Daryl didn't say anything in reply, just turned around and reached over his shoulder to run his fingers along a similar, yet smaller scar just next to his armpit. Carol felt her stomach turn at the image of Daryl kneeling in the dirt, buck knife sticking through his shoulder and out the other side and dripping red.

"Oh my God," she whispered. Daryl turned back around and Carol saw that he'd rather not dwell on it, nor did he want her sympathy, just her understanding. So Carol moved her fingers down to the particularly jagged and long scar above his hip she had seen the other night. "What about this one?"

Daryl took a deep breath and didn't answer right away, he seemed to be thinking.

"I was eight," he finally said, his voice was trimmed with bitterness. "Something you should know is...my pa was a worthless bastard. Always drinking, probably on a lot of the stuff Merle is...I mean was. He beat my ass more times than I can remember for things like making too much noise or leaving my jacket hung on a chair or coming back from hunting after dark, shit like that."

Carol nodded, knowing exactly how it was to be beat for nothing.

"Well when I was eight, I came inside after playing in the woods and I was filthy as hell, covered in dirt. When Pa saw me he went particularly crazy. Looking back, he was stinkin' drunk and high to boot...every time I take a drink of whiskey, the smell reminds me of his breath. Well, he grabbed me by the arm and literally dragged me into the bathroom and apparently I couldn't get out of my dirty clothes fast enough for him because he grabbed his hunting knife and started getting them off that way. Of course I was freaking out, trying to keep away from the blade so I tried to step back from him...which was the worst mistake I could have made. He hollered something about being a stubborn little bitch and decided to save two seconds by cutting off the leg of my jeans I hadn't stepped out of yet. He just dug the knife into my hip, just under my belt and managed to make it around and nearly into my crotch before Merle came in and pulled him off."

Carol then noticed for the first time how dangerously close the scar was to Daryl's manhood and she shook her head as she traced her fingers to the very end of it, merely inches lay between the two.

But she got no reaction and she wasn't surprised, Daryl's mind wasn't on her hands at the moment.

"This one?" she asked again, her hand moved to a circular scar on the inside of his thigh.

"Bite mark." Daryl replied, blushing slightly when Carol looked at him with her eyebrows cocked. "One of Merle's bright ideas. Merle hired her but I freaked out before she could even get started and Merle said we wouldn't pay her if she hadn't done nothin'...so she tried again and I told her I didn't want her to and she freaking bit me. I'm just glad she didn't bite somewhere else...ya know?"

Carol giggled at that story, it was lighthearted and amusing unlike the others had been. But then she had him turn and she eyed the multiple crisscrossed lines on the entire expanse of his back.

"Are these from a...?" she didn't want to believe her eyes.

"Yes." Daryl's simple reply made her heart break and she felt tears well up in her eyes already.

"Who?"

"My pa and Merle weren't the only messed up fucks in the Dixon family," Daryl said bitterly, "My ma had some serious mental problem she had been diagnosed with when she was young. She worked hard as she grew up to conquer it but my pa's drinking and abuse made her fall back worse than she had ever been. She would be fine and happy one second and then..."

Carol waited in silence for him to continue.

"She had this...one particular fallback fetish. When she had a particularly bad episode she would go down to the basement and pull out this homemade, thin leather strapped whip pa had originally used on our goats when we had them. It started out as a self-inflicted pain thing, like how kids cut their wrists nowdays, but one afternoon I was stupid enough to go down there looking for her because pa wanted her to start cooking dinner." 

Carol knew where this was headed and she almost wanted to stop him...but she knew he needed to confide in her so she let him continue, even though it was breaking her heart.

"When I told her pa had sent me to get her, she looked at me like I was the most disgusting thing she had ever seen and grabbed me by the wrist and kicked me until I curled up on the floor...then she decided she'd rather take out her pain on someone else and whipped me raw. Then she straightened her dress, pulled her hair back into a pony tail and walked back up the stairs to start dinner like nothing had just happened. And that wasn't the last time I found myself dragged down into that basement."

Daryl's stories continued for quite awhile, Carol wanted to know every scar by experience. Some were normal, like the ones he got from hunting (Carol's favorite was the four jagged lines across his left scapula from a bobcat that attacked him and the bright, new scar where the arrow had pierced his side on his hunt for Sophia) but others were connected to childhood stories of abuse. Carol's tears were falling freely when he finally told the last story.

"Hey now," Daryl whispered, wiping her tears away with his thumbs. "Don't do that."

"It's...it's not fair," Carol whispered, "Parents are suppose to protect their kids and love them no matter what."

"I know," Daryl agreed, "And, no, my parents didn't...but it doesn't matter anymore."

"Because I love you, right?" Carol ventured to ask. Immediately she shut her mouth and looked down in shame. Damn it, she had just thrown out that taboo word that had the ability to scare the shit out of grown men. But she felt Daryl's finger under her chin and her tipped her face up, making her meet his eyes.

"You do?" he asked quietly, his cobalt eyes were boring into hers searching for the hint of deception he must have always seen before.

Carol met his stare without flinching or blinking, wanting to convey how seriously she meant it. Daryl's gaze finally changed as a small half-smile graced his hard features.

"Then, yes...because you love me."

And Carol could have melted into a puddle when he pulled her into a kiss so full of passion and relief that he took her breath away. He didn't move the kiss to anything else, but simply held onto her when he broke it. Gently, he laid her down and spooned up behind her as close as physics allowed, his breath tickled the back of her neck as he breathed and she savored the feel of his chest moving against her back, his fingers twisting in her hair with one hand while the others intertwined with hers.

Carol felt peace spread over her like she hadn't felt in years and sleep began to creep into her body, making her brain fuzzy and her eyes heavy. But just before she faded into the hands of sleep, Daryl's voice cut through the haze.

"I love you too, ya know."


	16. Secrets Of The Universe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Daryl gets some sound advice and puts it to good use.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tip Your Waitress: ko-fi.com/panjamysy  
> Tumblr: solar-pxwered.tumblr.com

The last few days seemed like a blur of drama and emotions and craziness to Carol. Between Beth's suicide attempt, Carl's moodiness, Lori and Andrea at each other's throats, and this thing with that kid Rick, Herschel and Glenn had brought back from town (Randall was his name, she thought), there had hardly been a moment to breathe!

She was very grateful that things were settled down now. Beth had decided she wanted to live, Carl was still moody but that just came from being a kid, Lori had taken Andrea's side after Beth's attempt and so they had stopped arguing for now, and Randall had been taken away from the farm and set loose. Carol was emotionally exhausted from the whole ordeal considering they had very nearly decided to kill the kid. She was relieved that it hadn't come to that.

She had continued practicing archery for at least an hour every day no matter what was going on in camp and many times she would take Sophia along and let her shoot too. Daryl joined them sometimes with his crossbow and Carol realized that those days when it was just the three of them out there were the best days she'd had since she didn't know when. Life with Ed had started at age nineteen...had she ever actually been happy since?

Yes. Yes, of course. When Sophia had been born. That was the happiest day of her entire life, bar none.

But her nights with Daryl were running a close second. She had taken to sleeping in his tent on a nightly basis which was a good arrangement because it was getting colder and there was no tent for just her and Sophia. They had been sharing with the Grimes family, but Carol liked the current arrangement better and Sophia didn't mind because she just wanted to be around Carl all of the time. Daryl seemed alright with it too, which was a huge relief because at first she had felt as if she was intruding on his personal space.

"You gonna shoot that or you just gonna stay like that forever?" Daryl's voice shook Carol from her thoughts and she realized she still had her bowstring pulled back. She laughed lightly and let the arrow fly, hitting just to the right of the bull's eye.

"Sorry," she said, lowering her bow, "I was thinking about everything that's been going on lately."

Daryl got a wicked look in his eyes and he wrapped his arms around her middle, pulling her as close as possible from behind.

"Mm, I know exactly what you're thinking about," he mumbled in her ear, his voice was low and full of suggestion.

Carol giggled and slipped out of his grip, skipping backwards a bit to put some space between them.

"You don't know nothin', Daryl Dixon!" she teased, "I was actually thinking about all the crap that's been happening this week."

Daryl actually looked a little bit put out, but he didn't give up yet.

"A lot happened this week," he said with a wink. Carol couldn't help it, her mind flooded with images of their almost nightly lovemaking and she smiled.

"I'll give you that," she agreed. She turned her back on him and went to the target to retrieve her arrows from the haybale.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Daryl didn't know why he was doing this, but for some reason his feet kept carrying him towards the RV even as his mind was screaming at him to turn around and run back to the woods and avoid this embarrassing conversation about to ensue.

He found Andrea perched on top of the RV as usual, Dale's rifle resting on her lap as her eyes scanned the horizon for walkers. Lori had gotten pissed at Andrea for her look out duty but Daryl didn't see what the bitch's problem was? Someone had to do it, and it left the men free to hunt, scout, chop wood, and all the other chores needed to be done around the farm...if anything, they should be grateful that Andrea took the boring job onto her own shoulders! Because, dang, lookout was a hell of a dull thing to do.

"Hey, Daryl," she called down when she saw him approach.

"Hey, Andrea," Daryl muttered, gripping the ladder and pulling himself up. He stood there awkwardly for a moment before he decided to take a seat to avoid making eye contact. He dropped down next the the lawn chair Andrea was in and pulled out his buck knife, examining it and then proceeded to sharpen it with the whetstone from his pocket.

"Something on your mind, Daryl?" Andrea asked, looking down at him with a cocked eyebrow, "Or are you just a fan of my company?"

"Oh shut up," Daryl grumbled, not wanting to admit why he was up here. What the hell was he thinking?

"Take your time," Andrea said with a knowing smile, "When you're ready to admit why you're here, I'm listening."

Daryl growled a little but continued sharpening the blade...until he couldn't possibly get it any sharper. Finally, he slipped it back in the sheath and sighed as he leaned back and searched for the words to start this conversation.

"Andrea, you're a chick, right?" As soon as the words were out he wanted to smack himself in the face. _What the hell, Dixon?_

Andrea looked at him, but instead of annoyance or insult, he saw amusement.

"Last time I checked, yes," she replied, "Nice of you to notice."

"What I mean is..." Daryl couldn't believe how hard this was. He and Andrea had always had an easy relationship but damn...she was gonna judge him and he was gonna look like a fuckin' idiot! "Shit, forget about it!"

He stood up quickly and almost swung a leg over the ladder, but Andrea's hand shot out and grabbed him by the arm.

"Hold up a sec, Daryl," she said firmly, "Is this about you and Carol?"

Daryl's eyes widened and he froze.

"How...?"

"I can read you pretty well," Andrea replied, tugging on him. "Now get back here and say what's on your mind. I hate all this beating around the bush shit."

Daryl hesitated for a moment but then he decided he was already in this deep, he might as well man up and face the music.

"Alright, here's the deal..." he started nervously. "I...I need your advice." 

Andrea was suddenly very excited. She leaned forward and gave him her full attention.

"See...um..." Daryl ran his hand through his hair nervously and began pacing, "I'm...not really... _experienced_ in all of this and..."

Andrea waited patiently as he stumbled over his words, he began to chew his thumb like he did when he was nervous and she knew how hard this was for him.

"Ok," she said, trying to make him focus, "So you need, what?"

Daryl turned and looked at her with the saddest, most pathetic face and she had to try not to laugh.

"Andrea..." he was on the verge of whining, which was something she never thought she would hear. "I need some...tips."

"Romance tips? Communication tips?" Andrea ventured, "Sex tips?"

The way Daryl looked away at her last suggestion made her realize she had struck gold.

"Why, Daryl Dixon," Andrea crossed her arms, "Having problems satisfying your woman?"

"No!" Daryl shot back quickly, not wanting THAT rumor spreading around.

Andrea laughed but then she cleared her throat and put on a serious face.

"Ok, what do you want to know?" she asked.

Daryl took a deep breath and closed his eyes and looked up at the sky to avoid looking at Andrea.

"I...we're doing just fine, all in all," he admitted, "But...I feel like I'm doing the same thing every time and...god, why am I telling you this? Well...I just want to know...what do you want from us?"

"Ah, the age old 'what do women want' question," Andrea leaned back in her chair and smiled, "Well...sit your butt on down, Daryl and pay attention because I'm about to reveal the secrets of the female universe to you."

**\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

Herschel, Maggie, Beth, Jimmy and Patricia invited them all inside that night and everyone was delighted to see the banquet that had been prepared from the Greene food storage. Patricia had extended the table by placing two of them end to end so everyone had a seat and they all felt...almost like a family.

Carol felt especially happy. She had always dreamed of a situation like this, family all gathered together and laughing at funny stories over their plateful of chicken, mashed potatoes, carrots and fresh baked bread and butter. It reminded her of childhood Thanksgiving dinners. She looked around at the people at the table with a smile on her face. The Grimes and Greenes were grouped together on one side, T-Dog and Dale were discussing possibly fixing up the old truck they had found behind the barn, Shane was too busy stuffing his face to be speaking, Andrea kept flicking her eyes over in Carol's direction but Carol didn't think too much of it, and Daryl was sitting on Carol's left, shoving the carrots around on his plate as he stared at them.

"Not fond of carrots?" she asked him with a smile.

He jerked a little, like he was surprised, and looked up from his plate. He met her eyes and smiled slightly.

"Not really," he admitted quietly, not wanting the Greene's to hear.

"I like them," Carol offered, "I'll eat them for you."

Daryl's little smile widened a bit and he stabbed a few on his fork and offered it to her. She eyed him for a moment, surprised, but then opened her mouth for him to feed her. It was a little awkward when she realized half the table was looking at them but she kept her eyes focused totally on his as she chewed and swallowed.

"I think I'm gonna puke at all this unsolicited sweetness," Shane commented, making Carol blush and Daryl went back to looking down at his plate.

Carol hadn't missed the significance though, Daryl was getting bolder in their relationship. They hadn't told anyone that they were involved, but it was common knowledge around camp just the same...but Carol felt good about the fact that Daryl wasn't afraid to show his affection for her. She felt a surge of desire sweep over her and she wiggled in her seat a little. Glancing at him out of the corner of her eye, she slowly moved her hand across the small space that separated them and slid it up his right thigh, making him visibly tense and look up from his plate again.

"Carol, how's that archery coming along?" T-Dog's question saved Carol from the look of shock that surely would have been noticed by everyone that Daryl gave her since all their eyes turned to T-Dog and then to her.

"It's coming along great," she replied with a smile, her hand twisted slightly and she felt Daryl's leg jump a little. "Daryl's a great instructor! He's got amazing skills."

The innuendo went unnoticed by nearly everyone, Andrea and Daryl seemed to be the only one who's faces changed, Andrea's to amusement and Daryl's to embarrassment. Carol took that moment to give him a firm squeeze beneath the table and he cleared his throat and pushed his chair back from the table, standing quickly.

"Uh, 'scuse me, I gotta, there's somethin' I need to...I'll be right back," he muttered and made a hasty retreat up the stairs.

 _Oh no you don't, that's MY job!_ Carol thought in annoyance. Andrea leaned over and nudged her in the ribs.

"I think you better go check up on your man, Carol," she whispered, "I think he might need a...hand."

Carol blushed brightly at Andrea's suggestion, but she pushed her chair back and excused herself with the excuse of having to pee. She turned on her heel and forced herself to walk slowly out of the dining room to avoid suspicion.

Once out of the room, she picked up her pace and ran up the stairs. She turned and headed down the hall towards the bathroom, assuming that's where he had run off to, but as she passed by one of the bedroom doors she felt a firm grip on her arm and she was yanked into the room before she could even register what was happening.

"What the he-mph!" her scared outburst was cut off by Daryl's mouth covering hers in a kiss she almost swore caused sparks in the darkness of the room. There was something different about this kiss, Carol felt immediately, it was rough and dominating and she felt her toes curl from the intensity.

"C'mere," Carol couldn't see, her eyes hadn't adjusted to the dark yet, but she let him lead her across the room. She felt the backs of her knees hit the bed behind her and then a firm push had her flat on her back with her legs dangling over the edge.

"Daryl, what are you doing?" she asked with a giggle, "We can't do this right now, people are gonna start wondering where we went to."

"Do you care what they think?" Daryl's voice was thick and dark, Carol couldn't see his expression but she recognized that tone...she heard it nearly every night lately. That was Daryl's sex voice and it made her melt every time.

"No," Carol replied honestly.

"Didn't figure you would," he replied. Carol's eyes were almost adjusted now and she could finally see him in the moonlight. The pale blue shine made the muscle lines on his arms even more defined and it glinted in his eyes as he stared up at her from where he had knelt down between her legs. He leaned over her and kissed her again, his lips didn't stay on hers long however. Carol let out a happy sigh as he started trailing his kisses down her jaw, throat and to her chest.

"Here," Carol started to remove her shirt but he gripped her wrist softly and stopped her.

"Stand up," he ordered, but not in a mean way. Carol obeyed. Daryl slipped his hands under the hem of her shirt and ran them up her sides as he took the fabric up with them, eventually he tugged it over her head and flung it to the side. Carol wasn't sure when he unfastened her bra, but it was on the floor with her shirt before she realized it was gone, and she only realized this when she felt his tongue flick across her left nipple.

"Daryl..."

"Would you stop thinkin'?" was the gruff reply she got and she felt herself pushed back on the bed once more and he hovered over her in all his intimidating sexiness.

Carol almost made a snarky reply, but then Daryl slid off of her and knelt back on the floor between her legs. She felt his fingers start to twist the button on her jeans until it came free and then he unzipped them and slid them slowly over her hips and down her legs, kissing he skin he uncovered as he went. Finally, he tossed them aside and returned to hook his thumbs under the waistband of her panties. He wasted no time with those, they were only in his way at this point.

"Daryl, you're crazy, everyone's gonna hear us," Carol complained weakly, not _really_ caring at all.

"Let 'em hear," was the reply, which was very nearly a growl.

Carol was about to reply when she felt something that made her jump and blush and very nearly have a heartattack. Daryl's lips pressed lightly into her upper thigh, the scruff of his beard scratched softly the skin there, and she felt his teeth gently nip her there before he moved his lips to a new spot on her thigh. Carol let her head fall back, knowing where this was going...but she couldn't believe it. But, sure enough, she felt his lips press boldly on the mound between her legs and then felt the tip of his tongue flick over the bud that was swelling at every little touch he gave her.

"Oh my..." her near curse turned into a gasp at the last second when Daryl abandoned all sense of hesitation and delved his tongue inside her, making her see stars. Carol didn't know what had brought this about, but she had never felt anything quite like what he was doing to her now! The slick warmth of his tongue and the feel of it twisting and curling inside her and his beard brushing into her sensitive skin had her jerking her hips and moaning loudly. But just when she felt she would come undone, he withdrew and leaned back as he locked eyes with her.

"I..." Carol tried to form words but her mind felt like mush and she couldn't seem to speak. But that seemed to be just fine with Daryl because he grinned and moved back to leaning over her on the bed, his right hand rested on her stomach as he covered her mouth with his once more. Carol could taste herself on his lips and tongue and she thought that, somehow, that was the sexiest thing ever. But her thoughts were jumbled again when his hand slid down her stomach and between her legs, slipping two fingers inside her without even second guessing. She wondered vaguely where the confidence had come from as he curled and pumped his fingers inside her, driving her up a wall with ecstasy. She felt that now familiar sensation building deep within her and her moaning and whimpers started getting louder despite her previous concerns about people hearing.

"Daryl...fuck..."

"You got a dirty mouth on ya, Carol," Daryl's voice was amused and she forced her eyes open so she could look at him. He was smiling softly at her, completely focused on her expressions as his fingers worked their magic. Carol only managed to respond with a gasping groan as the knot inside her tightened to a ridiculous level and she felt her inner muscles clamp tight around his fingers and start to spasm as she came hard and hot over them with a screaming "Oh, god, yes!"

She nearly slid off the bed when her muscles suddenly relaxed completely, but Daryl's arm was around her and he pulled her up beside him.

"Where you think you're goin'?" he asked with a smile.

"Nowhere," Carol replied dreamily, "Why would I go anywhere? I just want to lay here with you."

Daryl looked at her with a soft expression for a long moment, but then he sighed and stood up. He grabbed her clothes from the floor where they were tossed and he handed them to her.

"C'mon," he said teasingly, "We got a dinner to get back to."


	17. Truth or Dare

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the group plays a game and Daryl plays along almost too well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tip Your Waitress: ko-fi.com/panjamysy  
> Tumblr: solar-pxwered.tumblr.com

Carol had never felt more embarrassed than when they walked back into that dining room. Daryl didn't seem to be shaken at all, he strutted right in with his head held high and a cocky pep to his stride, but Carol followed a little slower, avoiding eye contact as she sat down in her seat.

Andrea immediately leaned over.

"So...how was it?" she asked with a wicked grin.

"Shut it."

If anyone suspected anything, they kept it to themselves and Carol was very grateful for that. Everyone...except for Andrea and Shane, of course.

Shane was flicking his eyes between her and Daryl and a knowing smile crept into his expression. But thankfully, he had the dignity not to say anything out loud anyway. Andrea was a different story.

"Everything come out alright?" she asked out loud, taking a bite of chicken.

"I'm ignoring you."

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Once dinner was over and the dishes were washed, dried and put away, everyone went into the living room where Jimmy had started a roaring fire in the hearth and sat around letting the food settle. Lori leaned back into the couch cushions and let her baby and food swollen belly relax and Rick sat next to her and planted a kiss on her temple. Carl and Sophia chose to join Carol and Daryl where the sat on the floor underneath the window next to the couch.

"Mom," Sophia said as she buried her face in Carol's shoulder, "Can we stay here forever?"

Carol smiled down at her daughter.

"That's not my decision, honey," she replied honestly, "This isn't our home."

As Carol looked around the room, she felt the very same desire. Everyone was laughing about something or other, except for Shane and Daryl who were in a serious discussion about how to fix the windmill and get it working again. Glenn and Maggie were huddled on the loveseat while Hershel eyed them carefully. Andrea and Beth were playing a game of chess with the old stone set they pulled down from the shelf. T-Dog, Dale, Jimmy and Patricia were howling with laughter over by the fireplace and Carol wondered vaguely what was so funny. The atmosphere spoke 'family' to her...and they were a sort of family after all, they were all each other had anymore.

"Hey," Daryl's whisper broke her thoughts, "Whatcha thinkin'?"

"I was thinking...I want to stay too," Carol admitted, "I mean...look at us. We're all smiling, all happy. It's the first time in a long time we haven't been at each other's throats or running for our lives." 

Daryl didn't reply, but she could see the thoughtfulness in his eyes as he scanned the room as she had just done.

"You know...I ain't never seen anything like this in my life," he said quietly, "Never really had a family. At least...not a good one."

Carol knew she was making a bold move doing this in public, but she reached behind Sophia, who was sitting between them, and placed her hand on top of his. He didn't give any sign of acknowledgement except for the half smile she saw on his lips. But somehow that was enough. It was her way of conveying that he _was_ part of this family.

Sophia was looking up at Daryl with big, sad blue eyes and he seemed to feel it on his skin because his jaw twitched and he turned his head to look down at her.

"What?" he asked, a little gruffly.

"Nothing," she whispered softly, turning her eyes back toward the fireplace.

Carol was about to ask Sophia what was wrong but then Glenn piped up from the loveseat.

"Let's play a game, guys!"

A mix of groans and cheers were his reply but everyone fell silent out of curiosity more than anything.

"Well, what game?" Lori asked, voicing what everyone was thinking.

"Truth or Dare!" Sophia piped up.

"Yeah, Truth or Dare!" Carl echoed.

There was a lot of laughter following the suggestion, but Glenn apparently agreed because he grinned.

"I'll start!" he said, turning to Rick, "Rick, truth or dare!"

Rick rolled his eyes good naturedly.

"Truth, I suppose," he said with a sigh.

"What made you want to be a cop?" Glenn questioned.

"Well, obviously not the pay grade," Rick joked, earning a chuckle of agreement from Shane. "I'd say it was because I was raised to do what was right, and upholding the law is just...in my blood."

"Your turn, dad!" Carl stated when Rick had finished.

"Ok, um...T-Dog?"

"Truth, I'm too lazy to get up off this floor after all that food," T-Dog replied weakly.

"What did you do before all this?"

"Dude, I was a locksmith," T-Dog answered.

"A LOCKSMITH?" Shane asked with a laugh, "Doesn't seem like you, Dog!"

T-Dog just shrugged and smiled and turned to Andrea.

"Truth or dare, Andrea?" he asked.

"Dare."

"Of course, never would have guessed," T-Dog teased, "Alrighty, dare you to give us a dance, right there in the middle of the living room."

Andrea just shook her head and stood without a reply and went to the center of the room.

"What dance should I do?" she asked.

"The Dougie," T-Dog challenged and the whole room burst into laughter.

"Hard to dance without music but...ok."

And Andrea proceeded to dance like a freaking star, putting T-Dog in his place and causing an appreciative uproar from the crowd as they cheered her on. She "tore it up", as Carl called it and then she sat down like nothing had happened.

"Didn't know ya had it in ya, Blondie," Daryl teased with a wink.

"Daryl, truth or dare," Andrea shot back. "Or are you just gonna run your mouth all night?"

Daryl squinted at her in that expression he usually got when he was about to stomp someone's ass, but he crossed his arms and snorted like an angry horse.

"You don't scare me, girly," he mumbled, "Dare."

Andrea's grin was absolutely devilish and Carol knew right away that she should probably head for the hills because Andrea's eye suddenly locked on hers.

"I dare you to kiss Carol," Andrea stated, Carol felt her cheeks redden and she closed her eyes to shut out the looks everyone was giving her and Daryl. When she opened them, she couldn't make herself meet anyone's eyes but Daryl's. He was still squinting, but it was a calculating, stubborn squint now as if he was sizing Andrea up.

"Or do you give up?" Andrea asked, knowing damn well Daryl wasn't going to give up.

"Fuck you, Blondie, I ain't afraid to kiss 'er," he replied hotly and Carol was suddenly face to face with him as he shifted to get into a better position for this.

"And, Daryl," Andrea spoke up when he was only inches from Carol's lips. "When I say 'kiss', I _mean_ kiss. I want to see some tongue at least."

Carol heard a few giggles and some nervous laughs at Andrea's bold statement and even a surprised gasp from someone, she wasn't sure who.

"You're a freak, Andrea," Daryl mumbled, but his hand slid behind Carol's neck and he pulled her half way into the kiss as he took the other %50.

Carol had wanted him to be open to showing affection in public, but she hadn't been expecting this level. The second their lips met, she could feel the passion in the kiss and she wasn't surprised at all when his teeth nipped gently at her bottom lip and she felt her nervousness and the entire room around her fade away...and all that mattered was Daryl. She returned the kiss with gusto and gasped slightly when his tongue slid between her teeth, but she had gotten use to his style and she knew now how to work well with him and she added her tongue to the mix, placing her hands on his chest, grabbing the material of his shirt firmly as that amazing electricity shot through her like it always did. Daryl's kisses never failed to absolutely fry her brain and make her legs into jelly.

Daryl's left hand slid down her back and rested on her hip as the fingers of the hand behind her neck twisted into the hair that had grown out a lot on the back of her head. She returned the gesture by threading the fingers of both her hands into his hair and pulled slightly, causing a small moan to issue from deep within his chest.

But the kiss broke suddenly and Daryl was leaning back, his eyes locked on hers, his expression was dark with lust. The tiny twitch at the corner of his mouth told Carol she wouldn't be getting much sleep tonight when they went back to the tents.

Everyone in the room was staring in amazement and the two kids with disgust.

"Eeeeewwww," Carl was the first to say what he thought and Carol couldn't help the giggle that escaped her as she looked over at him sheepishly.

"Shit...that was hot," Andrea said, leaning back looking totally satisfied with herself.

"So, I'm assuming you two are screwi-" Lori suggested from the couch.

"LORI!" Daryl snapped, "Truth or Dare?"

Lori shut her mouth and just stared at him.

"Uh...truth?"

"Is it even remotely possible for you to mind your own business?"

And that was the end of the game. Rick pretty much kicked Daryl out of the house and he shouldered his crossbow and nodded, leaving a thick awkwardness in his wake. Carol watched him leave but then realized she should probably try to repair this little rift.

"Sorry, Lori," she apologized as she stood, "Sorry, guys. You know how he is..."

"He's rude, filthy, uncouth, uncaring and he needs to control that tongue of his," Lori replied harshly.

Carol smirked slightly at that last part, but Lori's words made her flare up inside. After everything Daryl had done for this group, Lori had no right to cut him down.

"Watch it, Lori," Carol's voice became deadly quiet, "None of you can get past what you see, can you? He's not just some redneck, he's strong and he's smart and he cares, you better believe he cares. He cares about this entire group or he wouldn't have stuck around this long. Just because he doesn't go searching for approval or appreciation doesn't make him any less of a good man than Rick or Shane or...ANYONE! And, for your information, he controls that tongue of his just fine."

Carol looked around the room and found everyone's jaw hanging open, except for Andrea who was smiling and nodding. Carol gave her a grateful nod and spun on her heels, stomping out of the room and then out of the house.

She spotted Daryl making his way across the yard, so she took of after him at a run and soon caught up.

"Hey," she said softly as she fell in step with him.

"Hey," he replied, his voice sounded flat.

"You're kind of rude sometimes," Carol said with a smile.

"Yeah, I know," Daryl replied darkly, "But that bitch gets under my skin."

"Was it really Lori," Carol ventured, "Or were you just uncomfortable?"

Daryl stopped walking and looked at her with that angry squint of his.

"I ain't ashamed if that's what you mean," he snapped.

Carol stepped back and smiled.

"I know you're not," she soothed, placing a hand on the clenched muscles of his forearm. Daryl graced her with a half smile before he relaxed and started walking towards their tent again. She watched him go for a moment, simply because she loved the view, the man had a sexy walk.

"You comin' or what?" he called over his shoulder.

"Yep, I was just...yeah, I'm coming!" she caught up to him again and stuck her hand in his back pocket, making him jump slightly with surprise.

"Whoa there," he laughed, but made no move to remove her hand. Carol just gave him an innocent flutter of his eyes. He rolled his eyes and commenced walking, and Carol enjoyed the feeling of his muscles working as she followed along, hand in his pocket the whole time.

"You're a weirdo, ya know?" he asked when they reached the tent and she finally removed her hand.

"Yeah, maybe a little," Carol admitted, "Or it could just be that you've got the tightest ass I've ever seen and so I naturally wanted to give you a squeeze."

Daryl just stood there looking at her in silence with a smirk on his face.

"You know somethin'?" he asked, "I think Rick and Lori may have some things to explain to Carl after that game."

Carol started to laugh, but then a horrible realization hit her...she had some things to explain to Sophia too.


	18. The Talk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Carol explains the facts of life to Sophia

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tip Your Waitress: ko-fi.com/panjamysy  
> Tumblr: solar-pxwered.tumblr.com

Carol spent the entire morning with Sophia, picking beans from the garden before the sun got too high then cutting them in the shade of the trees for Patricia to take inside and can, dry and freeze. But through the entire morning, they had talked mostly of unimportant, funny or happy things...Carol couldn't quite bring herself to start the conversation she knew needed to happen.

"Hey, Sophia..." Carol tried to start the conversation straight out.

"Yeah, mommy?" Sophia replied, looking up at Carol with blue eyes full of innocence.

"I...there's something..." Carol tried so hard but the look on her baby's face made her words dry up. She didn't realize how hard this would be! How do parents do this? "I think we're done cutting beans. You can go play with Carl if you want, he asked me if you two could go out shooting with Rick this afternoon."

At the mention of shooting, Sophia's eyes lit up and she grinned.

"Are you sure, mom?" she asked, "We still have a big bowl of beans to do!"

"Oh, I think I can handle one bowl," Carol laughed, "Plus, they're loading up the truck now so you better go now if you want to go at all!"

Sophia gave her a smile before skipping off towards the truck where Carl, Rick, Glenn and Andrea were loading the truck with guns, ammo and makeshift targets. Carol sighed as she watched her go...crap, she had chickened out.

"Hey, honey, need some help there?" Lori's voice cut into her thoughts and she looked up at the younger woman with a smile.

"If you have time, then sure," she replied. Lori took a seat on the other side of the large bowl of beans and started snapping then ends and then tossing them in the bucket next to Carol who took them out and cut them into thirds.

"Carol..." Lori began as she snapped her seventh bean, "I wanted to apologize for last night..."

Carol kept her eyes on the knife as she cut the beans.

"Lori...I know what everyone must be thinking..." she started slowly and carefully.

"No, Carol...we've all seen what Daryl has done for you and...and for us," Lori was having a hard time admitting this, Carol could tell. "But...can you understand why it's hard to see him like you do for the rest of us? I can't seem to get the image of him going at Rick with that knife back at the quarry..."

Carol swallowed thickly. Of course she remembered the instance, she had been standing near Lori at the time. She remembered Daryl's angry voice echoing over the quarry and the fury in his eyes when Rick had told him the situation. She remembered the animalistic rage that had been obvious in him as he charged Rick...and she also remembered the tears that he had angrily wiped away at the realization that his brother may very well be dead.

"What if it was Rick who'd been chained to that roof and Daryl had been the one to leave him there?" Carol asked softly. "What would you have done?"

Lori stopped snapping her beans and looked up slowly, meeting Carol's eyes, comprehension and understanding dawning on her face.

"I...I honestly never stopped to think about how he must have felt..." she admitted, "I was too worried about Rick going back into Atlanta."

"He's human too, you know?" Carol said, her eyes drifted to where Daryl was sitting by the barn skinning squirrels. "There's a lot behind that rough exterior and those harsh words. He's got a heart as big as Texas."

Lori's gaze went to Daryl as well, a small smile on her face.

"Well, Carol, I'm sorry for what I said about him," Lori apologized, "I was just mad."

"I know, Lori...he was pretty rude last night," Carol agreed, "But I think he was a little embarrassed and didn't really want to talk about it."

Lori nodded and went back to her job of snapping.

"Lori..."Carol ventured to ask after a while of silence. "Have you...have you had the talk with Carl yet?"

"Ugh, no..." Lori replied as if she had just remembered she still had to do that, "I meant to, but then the world went to hell and I kind of forgot."

"I have no idea how to do it," Carol admitted, "And after last night...I thin I owe Sophia an explanation."

"Yeah, I'd say so," Lori said with a wink, "Wish I could help you out...but I don't know what to do either."

Carol sighed. She was just going to have to be brave and tell it like it is.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The target practice group returned later that afternoon and Sophia immediately headed for the tent across the pasture where her mother had been staying lately, she had so much to tell her!

"Mom!" she called as she skipped up to the tent, "Mom, I shot a bullseye!"

She heard a shuffling sound from inside the tent and she waited as the zipper was opened. But her mom wasn't who stepped out, it was Daryl Dixon and he looked like a bear who was woken from its hibernation. He glared at her, his hair was sticking out from where he had laid on it.

"What are you yappin' about, kid?" he grumbled, rubbing the sleepiness from his eyes while trying to maintain his glare.

"I...I...I..." Sophia was struck with fear at the sudden appearance of the man in their group who scared her the most. Sure, he had found her in the woods and saved her life...but he was mean and rude and he was dirty and bloody from skinning cute little squirrels. Sophia took a step back and dropped her eyes from his face, to his hands, to his buck knife, to the ground.

"Spit it out," Daryl commanded with a sigh.

"I...was looking for my mom," Sophia admitted, "She...she's been sleeping here lately because there's no room in Mr. Rick and Mrs. Lori's tent."

Daryl made a funny face, Sophia couldn't tell exactly what it meant, and he chuckled deeply.

"She talk to you about that yet?" he asked offhandedly, leaning down to pick up a rock which he tossed towards the overgrown hayfield.

"About what?" Sophia asked, wide eyed.

Daryl stood up straight and he looked at Sophia out of the corner of his eye.

"Guess not..." he said in a low voice. "Look...kid, your mom's in the house helping with the cannin'. You better go find her and tell her your news."

Sophia stood there looking at this man for a little while longer. The way he said that last statement had seemed...almost kind. She wasn't sure what to think of him.

"Do you like my mom, Mr. Daryl?" she asked quietly.

Daryl turned to face her completely and he squinted at her, she could tell he was thinking deeply. Finally he sighed heavily and looked away again.

"What makes you ask that?"

"Well...you seemed to like her a whole lot last night," Sophia said without thinking, "You kissed her for a long time. Daddy never kissed mommy like that...he...he liked to hit her sometimes. Would you ever hit a lady? Mom says real men don't hit ladies. Are you a real man, Mr. Daryl?"

The bombardment of words from the usually silent little girl made Daryl's head spin, but the innocent blue eyes staring up at him kept his annoyance in check and he managed not to snap at her to go away and quit bothering him. Instead he mulled the questions over in his mind.

"No, kid," he finally replied, "I'd never hit a lady."

Sophia's smile was big and bright.

"Well then...I hope you do like my mom," she stated simply. "You're nice, I think. You're kind of scary sometimes...but you're actually not really."

With that, Sophia spun on her heel and took off at a skip towards the house, leaving Daryl staring after her with a small smile on his lips.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Mom! I hit the bullseye!" Carol heard her daughter's voice as the front door swung open. She dropped the towel she was wiping the counter with and turned to smile at Sophia.

"You did?" she asked, very impressed if it was indeed true. "What did you shoot with?"

"Carl's gun," she said, puffing her chest up with pride. "I hit a bullseye before he did!"

"Carl has his own gun?" Carol was surprised by this news, Lori would probably freak out if she knew...

"Yeah, it's a handgun about this big," Sophia held her hands a small way apart, "It's black and it says "Browning" on the handle. Mr. Shane said it was a...nine mill, whatever that means."

"Um...Sophia, where did he get the gun?" Carol had a suspicion.

"He said he found it," Sophia shrugged, obviously not concerned.

Carol bit her bottom lip and hung her head...Daryl had been looking for that gun. She would have to remember to tell Rick about it later so he could do something before Daryl found out Carl had stolen it. But...there was a more important issue at hand.

"Sophia," Carol stood up and set her shoulders, determined to get this over with once and for all. "I need to talk to you about something very important."

Sophia got a frightened look on her face.

"Is something wrong, mom?" she asked, wide eyed.

"No, no, honey, nothing's wrong," Carol replied with a smile, "There's just...some things you need to know."

So Carol led Sophia outside and they sat on the porch swing together. As they sat there, swaying slowly, Carol tried to figure out how to start the conversation with it being terrifying.

"Um...Sophia," _Oh God...this is so difficult._ "Have you ever wondered...what makes boys and girls different?"

Sophia's eyes widened.

"Well...boys are bigger. And they've got hair all over and they smell bad sometimes," Sophia replied.

"Well, that's true..." Carol agreed with a nod, "But there's more to it than just that."

Sophia was now looking at her with complete interest and Carol felt her courage slip. But she reached into her trusty bag and pulled out the small cartoonish book out of it. Maggie had given it to her that afternoon when she had admitted to her about trying to explain things to Sophia. Maggie said they had given the book to Beth when she was younger and went through it with her instead of sitting down and trying to explain with no examples.

"Honey...I want to you take this and read it," she said as she handed the life-changing book to her daughter. She had previewed the book and it was definitely a no-nonsense type book, detailed enough to clearly present the issue, discreet enough to leave out things that weren't necessary to know...Carol had seen those type of books explain blowjobs and similar activities and Carol REALLY didn't feel like explaining things like _that_ just yet.

Sophia looked down at the book with wide eyes, the cover displayed two naked cartoon children, anatomically correct.

"When you're done, we'll talk about it, ok?" Carol continued, trying to ease the awkwardness of the moment. Sophia only nodded slightly as she scanned the front cover intently.

Relieved for a moment, Carol got up and let Sophia alone to read. "I'll be in the kitchen cleaning up."

\-------------------------------------------------------------------

Daryl shouldered his crossbow and grabbed Carol's longbow from it's place inside the tent and headed towards the house to see if she was up for some practice. She had been getting fairly good at it and he wanted to encourage her improvement.

When he came up the steps of the porch he saw Sophia sitting on the porch swing with a book in her hands, reading intently with huge eyes. Out of curiosity, he approached quietly to see if he could catch the book title. But when he stopped in front of her, she jumped as his shadow fell over her and she squeaked in surprise.

"Sorry, kid, didn't mean to sneak up on you," he apologized, taking a step back. Was it his imagination or did her eyes linger on his crotch just then? Uncomfortable, he backed off and went inside.

Carol was leaning over the island in the center of the kitchen wiping it down with a cloth. Something about that position gave him a wicked idea and he carefully set both weapons down silently in the hall and then snuck into the kitchen and up to her. When he reached her, he gripped her by the hips and pulled her flush into him from behind, ignoring the frightened gasp she gave and the way she pushed against him. Gently but firmly, he leaned her over the counter and nipped the top of her ear.

"Always wanted to do this," he whispered, grinding into her left hip slowly.

"Daryl, get off me!" Carol insisted, but he could hear the smile in her voice, "Maggie will be back in here any minute."

"Eh, who cares?" Daryl asked gruffly.

"I kind of do," Carol replied, "I mean...finding people having sex on your counter is kind of...disturbing. More disturbing than usual."

Daryl growled deeply, but Carol felt him back off enough for her to turn around and face him. He was smiling slightly, but his eyes were dilated and dark so she knew he wasn't kidding around and she wished she could help him out right now but she couldn't...not until later.

"I still have to talk to Sophia," she whispered quietly as she pressed her lips to his neck.

"Is she readin' a sex ed book out there on the porch?" Daryl's voice vibrated against her lips as it came out of his throat and she liked how it felt.

"Uh...yeah," Carol said as she broke her kiss and slipped under his arm and away from the counter. "I...kind of took the easy way out."

Daryl turned around and leaned back against the counter, resting his elbow on the edge as he looked at her in amusement.

"It ain't gonna let you totally off the hook, ya know?" he said with a grin.

"Well...how did your parents tell YOU?" she asked snippily. She immediately regretted it when his face lost it's amusement and he crossed his arms in a defensive stance. "I'm...I'm sorry...I didn't think before I said that."

"Naw, it's fine, Carol," he said quietly, and she knew it wasn't exactly fine. But he didn't leave or start mumbling like he would have before. "You honestly wanna know how I learned?"

Carol nodded...why _did_ she want to know?

"Well, all you gotta do is watch the animals," he said, matter of fact.

"Goats?"

"Goats."

"Did you ever ask anyone about it?"

"Nope. Figured it out on my own."

Carol wished there were some dogs or cats or something around that Sophia could see and figure it out herself...but the only animals around were cows and they weren't anywhere around to be seen, their pasture was pretty far from the farmhouse and their campsite.

"I wish we had some goats," she announced wistfully, to herself but out loud.

Daryl's full out laugh made her look back at him. He had dropped the defensive arm cross and was leaning back with ease and smiling at her. God...that smile was a very special thing. When Daryl smiled, his entire face changed. The shadows under his eyes that made him look so dark and fierce disappeared and his lips curled back over his teeth, revealing their perfectly straight and surprisingly white surfaces. His eyes squinted and she could see the lines at the corners of them spread toward his temples. When Daryl Dixon smiled, every worry melted from Carol's mind.

And before she knew what had possessed her, she had crossed the distance between them and literally jumped him. She grabbed his face in her hands and crushed her lips to his and wrapped her right leg around his hip bucking into him. He did just what she wanted him to do when he gripped her thighs and pulled both of her legs around him, supporting her weight with his hips and hands, which allowed absolutely no space between them where it mattered and Carol's stomach clenched and flipped and twisted at the feeling of him growing rapidly hard against her. She broke the kiss to trail her lips and tongue and teeth down the side of his neck, causing a deep, rumbling groan to flood her ears and that only encouraged her further. She bucked her hips roughly into him, digging him into the counter behind him.

"This isn't really the position I had in mind for this," Daryl's deep mumble made her giggle, but she continued her assault. She knew he was letting her do this, there was no way she could ever overpower him, if he truly wanted to change anything about this it would take little effort on his part and she would be powerless to resist. That was one of things about him that drove her wild...he was just as strong, and much stronger in reality, as Ed ever was and she knew he could toss her around like a ragdoll if he wanted to but, even when he _did_ take charge, he was never rough. In fact...she wished he would be a _little bit_ more aggressive...

"MOM!" Carol's thoughts were completely shattered by that sound. _Holy shit!_ She immediately pushed herself away from Daryl, who released his hold on her like she was on fire and pressed even further into the counter than she thought possible. He ran his hand through his hair and turned toward the kitchen sink to hide the obvious bulge in his jeans from the eyes of the small child who was staring at her mother in horror.

"Oh...Sophia..." Carol couldn't even imagine how red her face was at that moment. "I can explain..."

"You were going to have sex!" Sophia shouted. Carol stiffened and she heard Daryl snort loudly and she saw him cover his mouth to hold back the laughter.

"Young lady..." Carol warned her, "Don't shout stuff like that out."

"But mom, that book I just read said it's nothing to be ashamed of."

"Did you understand?" Carol asked nervously.

"Well...kind of but they didn't really show any pictures so I didn't know what it would look like," Sophia admitted, blatantly. Daryl snorted again and excused himself as he left the kitchen as quickly as he could, Carol heard his burst of laughter just before the front door slammed.

"Chicken," she muttered out the window at his retreating form, then she refocused on Sophia. "Sophia, honey...we weren't really...doing that, we were just hugging really tight."

Sophia looked skeptical, but nodded.

"Now...is there anything you're confused about?" Carol actually felt emboldened by the turn of events, nothing could possibly embarrass her any worse.

"Well...um...does it hurt?" Sophia's wide blue eyes met hers and Carol regretted the answer she had to give.

"Well...it can, the first time," she admitted. "Or if it's done wrong."

"Then why do it?" Sophia asked, wrinkling up her nose in disgust. "It's really gross."

Carol laughed and sat down heavily on a chair by the dish cabinet.

"Oh, honey, it's something you'll understand when you get older," she said, "And I know grown ups say that all the time but it's true. Right now I don't expect you to understand, but one day you'll see why."

Sophia seemed less than satisfied with the answer but she nodded.

"You see, Sophia," Carol tried to make the whole concept less frightening and weird, "When a girl and a boy love each other, they want to be as close as possible to show the other one how much they love them. And...you can't get any closer than that. It's a way of showing someone you love them. And it should NEVER be done if you don't really, truly love that person."

"Do you love Mr. Daryl?" Sophia questioned, looking straight into her mother's eyes.

Carol smiled, her thoughts flooded with images of Daryl's face, his eyes, his strong arms as they wrapped around her, his rare smile, his even more rare laughter, the way he would stumble into the tent at night after a late night watch keeping, the way he looked when he was covered in a sheen of sweat from working hard, the way he crouched in his hunter's walk, the way he chewed on his thumb when he was nervous...

"Yes, hon, I do," she heard herself answer her daughter, almost like an out of body experience, visions of Daryl still dancing in her brain.

"Well then," Sophia stated simply, "You should show him. You two should have sex!"

And with that, Sophia seemed to be satisfied with the whole concept that Carol had been terrified of revealing to her and she kissed Carol's cheek before skipping towards the door with a shout of "Good night, mom!" over her shoulder.

Carol just sat looking at the screen door in shocked silence, until her mind caught up with the situation and she started laughing uncontrollably.

The front door squeaked and Daryl walked back in, looking nervous.

"Well...how did she take it?" he asked, cocking his eyebrow at her laughter.

"Very, VERY well," Carol replied, wiping away the tears she had laughed out. "She understands and...and she's very, um, supportive."

"What?"

Carol stood up and ran her hand shamelessly down his torso inside his vest with the wings on it (she loved that vest he had cleverly turned into a jacket), feeling the hardened muscles underneath the material twitch and flex from her touch.

"She flat out told me I should go find you and have sex," Carol said with a wicked grin, slipping her hand under his shirt.

"Smart kid," Daryl said gruffly, he clutched her wrist in his hand and pulled her towards the door. The sun had set sometime during the whole ordeal but the campsite was still bustling with activity so he switched directions and led her toward the stables. The thought of rolling in the hay with this man made Carol shiver with anticipation.

Daryl swung open an empty stall with his foot and then closed it behind them, pushing Carol firmly into the wood slats of the wall to the left. Carol gasped at the hard wood at her back, it was slightly uncomfortable, but she wasn't going to complain because she was too busy enjoying his gusto. But the seriousness of the moment was shattered when she heard his voice cut through her heavy breathing:

"I think we're a hell of a lot better of an example than a bunch of damn goats."


	19. Kitten

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Sophia gets a pet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tip Your Waitress: ko-fi.com/panjamysy  
> Tumblr: solar-pxwered.tumblr.com

Carol emerged from the stall on wobbly legs, her head still spinning from her literal roll in the hay. Nelly nickered across the walkway at her, stomping her hoof on the floor.

"Don't be jealous, Nelly," Carol laughed, pulling pieces of hay from her hair and off her shirt.

She turned around, expecting to see Daryl standing behind her with that dreamy, satisfied look he always had on his face after sex, but he wasn't there. She pushed the stall door open and found him still sprawled on the floor, snoring...which was another one of those things that he usually did after sex.

"Oh good grief..." Carol couldn't help but smile at the scene and knelt down to shake him awake, "Daryl. Daryl, wake up. I know you're tired but you can't stay here."

"Ten minutes," Daryl grumbled, rolling onto his side and curling into a fetal position. Carol sighed and sat down next to him, not wanting to leaving him there just in case a walker happened by...hey, you never know. She pulled his head onto her lap and he sighed lightly as she began playing with his hair and tracing his features with her fingertips. Carol wasn't sure what she had done to deserve this man's attention, but she sent a small prayer up to God above in thanks, remembering back to when she had knelt in that church and bared her soul in front of everyone. Her prayer that Sophia would be safe had been answered...maybe God had decided to give her a bonus.

The ten minutes came and went, but Carol had no desire to move...except that her legs were falling asleep.

"Daryl, time to get up," she whispered, leaning down to press a soft kiss to his temple.

"Let's just sleep here, m'kay?" Daryl murmured sleepily, nuzzling into her thigh.

"We don't have any weapons or anything," Carol replied sadly, "What if a walker came?"

Daryl sat up and glanced around, then he nodded towards the wall outside the stall. There was a pitchfork hung next to Nelly's stall and Carol sighed, but she stood up and retrieved it, leaning it on the wall in their stall.

"Better than nothing, I suppose," Carol said, feeling a little doubtful.

"Woman, I can kill a walker with my bare hands if I have to, you ain't got nothin' to worry about," Daryl's thick, tired voice drifted up to her ears from the floor. "Now get back down here, it's fuckin' cold."

Carol rolled her eyes, but she knew he as right, she had nothing to fear when Daryl was with her. So she just smiled and laid down next to him on the straw covered floor, laying her head in the crook of his shoulder and neck. Before she drifted off to sleep, she sent up another silent prayer of thanks.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Daryl lifted Carol without much effort and he made himself a mental note to make her eat more, the woman was too damn skinny. Carol's nose pressed into his neck as he silently pushed the stall door open and made his way out of the stables toward his...or was it _their_ tent? That thought brought up a bit of that old doubt and fear that he had pushed deep down inside and he felt his stomach clench at the thought of what he had gotten himself into. He carefully unzipped the tent and laid Carol's still sleeping form down on the sleeping bag she had rolled out next to his back when she first stayed in there with him and covered her gently with the blanket they usually shared. For good measure, he laid the curved machete he had claimed from the bag of them Carl had found on the highway down within her easy reach in case, God forbid, anything got into the tent. That thought freaked him out even more than the previous one.

"I need to go huntin'," he moaned to himself when he stepped outside, crossbow and buck knife in their rightful places once again. And so he did just that.

The sun was soon shining down between the yellowing leaves of the woods as Daryl snuck along, breathing in the fresh air and following some tracks he had found not long into his search. By the look of them, he chalked them up as bobcat. He was nearly twitching from the excitement of hunting something that could easily hunt him back if it wanted, he had the scars to prove it, they may be small but bobcats were underestimated. He dropped into a low crouch when he came around the corner of a rock formation and a familiar jolt of alarm shot through him when the smell of rotting flesh hit his nose. 

You could always smell a geek before you saw it, but there it was not twenty yards away, leaned over a carcass...and Daryl had a feeling he knew exactly what carcass it was too. Without any hesitation, he raised his crossbow and planted an arrow right in the back of the walker's skull. He waited a moment longer before leaving his cover to make sure it was the only one around and then he slowly made his way to the pile of death. Just as he thought, the shredded and half eaten carcass of his quarry lay under the now deceased walker and Daryl groaned at the sight of the ruined fur he had been looking forward to presenting to the camp.

But something else caught his eye that made him a little sick to his stomach...clutched in the walker's rotted grasp was half of what Daryl knew was once a bobcat kitten. He looked around and noticed there were other small partially chewed bodies around the mother and he angrily kicked the walker as hard as he could in it's side, flipping the dead mass off of the mother bobcat's body. Angrily, he turned to leave when a sound stopped him in his tracks and caused him to turn back around on his heels.

Dropping down to his knees he looked in shock and awe at the tiny little body that lay wedged almost beneath the remains of the adult bobcat. Tiny blue eyes, newly opened, gazed up at him in fright as the little ball of brown/black/grey fluff struggled feebly to pull out from under the body. Tiny, shrill squeaks issued from it's tiny pink mouth as it fought for freedom and Daryl felt a tight squeezing sensation in his chest at the sight. Gently, he lifted the carcass off of the kitten with one hand and took it carefully in his other hand. Standing back up, he lifted it to eye level to examine it.

It was an itty bitty thing, it looked like it's eyes had opened maybe a day or two prior and he knew just by looking at it's meowling mouth that it wasn't weaned yet, maybe about five weeks old or less. He checked it for injury or bites but it looked absolutely fine.

"Well, ain't you just a lucky little son of a bitch?" he stated. The kitten looked back at him with it's bright blue gaze and issued forth a pitiful squeal of hunger mixed with fear. "Ya hungry, huh? Ya know...Sophia could use somethin' to take care of since Herschel gave Carl that calf to raise..."

And so he gave the walker another rough kick and made his way back the way he'd come, heading towards camp.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Daryl stopped by his tent first to drop of his stuff and almost jumped out of his skin when Carol came darting out of the opening of it.

"Oh, hey!" she greeted him with a smile. "How was the hunt?"

He looked at her sheepishly, considering he had his hands behind his back, hiding the kitten from her view.

"Well...I, uh, didn't get nothin' we're gonna eat," he admitted.

"What's behind you?" Carol asked, looking nervous. "If that's a snake, I'll punch you."

Daryl gave her a grin and slowly pulled the kitten around from behind him and presented it to Carol.

"Oh my goodness!" Carol gasped and she immediately reached out and took the kitten from him, snuggling it to her chest. "What a little cutie! Where did you find it?"

"I was trackin' it's momma," Daryl replied, leaning his crossbow against the old bricks of the forgotten fireplace. "Walker got her first."

"What is it?" Carol suddenly was looking at the kitten with a look of concern.

"Bobcat," Daryl pointed at the tiny tufts at the tips of it's ears and the short little nubby tail, "It was the only one the walker didn't get. I figured it's about time Sophia had something of her own to take care of. Every kid needs a pet of some kind."

Carol's face suddenly dropped and her eyes got dark. She shoved the kitten back at him and would have dropped it if he hadn't had the sense to grab it quickly. He looked at her in shock as he covered the kitten protectively with his hand.

"What the fuck's your problem?" he snapped at her.

"Get rid of it," Carol's voice was cold and firm, but her eyes seemed sorry. "I've seen what bobcats can do to people. They're not pets, Daryl."

"Carol, it's just a kitten," Daryl argued back.

"It'll grow!" Carol shot back with no hesitation, "I don't want my daughter around it, Daryl. A bobcat can kill a child in a heartbeat!"

Daryl felt his blood boiling and he could almost feel his jaw twitching angrily. Deep inside he felt that old familiar urge to smack some sense into her but he swallowed hard and pushed it down, he had never let it have it's way yet and he wouldn't start now.

"What do you suggest I do with it?" he was surprised at how cold his voice sounded to his own ears. Carol must have heard the ice in his tone too because she looked at him with sad desperation.

"Get rid of it," she repeated.

And Daryl had an idea, a tricky one. He nodded sadly, looking down at the innocent ball of fluff in his hands and then back to Carol, his eyes shooting daggers of accusation at her as he walked over to the tree next to the tent.

"Alright," he said firmly, maintaining eye contact with her as he stood next to the tree. "This is what my pa'd always do when our barn cat had kittens he didn't want."

He took the kitten in one hand and pulled that hand back as far as he could, taking aim at the side of the tree.

"DARYL! NO!" Carol's shriek and hands grabbing his elbow told him his plan had worked perfectly. He glanced over his shoulder and saw her terrified eyes looking at him, wide and fearful. "What the hell are you doing?"

"You said you wanted it dead," he replied with a shrug, "attempting" the throw again. Carol's grip tightened.

"I didn't say that!" Carol insisted. Daryl turned around quickly and she stepped back.

"Maybe not exactly," he admitted, "But taking it back out there means it'll be dead in hours. The thing ain't even weaned yet."

"Well...isn't there a more...humane way to do this?" Carol asked quietly.

"You really gonna ask me to justify spending a bullet on a kitten that ain't gonna hurt nothin'?" Daryl growled.

"You have arrows..." Carol suggested in barely a whisper.

Daryl felt a wave of disgust wash over him at her determination to get rid of this kitten and he felt his strength drain suddenly from the harshness of her reaction to what he had been so excited to show her. He stepped past her and bent down into the tent, grabbing her longbow and an arrow. He handed them to her and then thrust the kitten at her by the scruff of it's neck, causing it's tiny feet and stubby tail to curl as it went limp. Carol took it gingerly.

"You want it dead?" he said, dangerously quiet, "You do it."

Carol stood there, holding the kitten at arm's length, her eyes moving from him, to her bow, to the kitten and back to him again. He saw tears forming in her eyes and he hated that it had come to this. Suddenly, the tears flowed from the corners of her eyes and slid down her cheeks and she dropped the bow and brought the kitten in close, her chin pressed into the fur.

Daryl hated when women cried, it was the one thing that made him feel absolutely helpless, and he _hated_ feeling helpless. He sighed heavily and stepped up to her, pulling her into his arms.

"Look, I know you're only scared for Sophia," he acknowledge, tilting her head up to meet her eyes. "But, trust me, this is gonna be a good thing for her. Just think, who's gonna mess with her when she's got a pet like that?"

Carol's smile looked a little bit forced, but Daryl would take anything over tears at that moment.

"So, you gonna give it to her?" he asked, letting her go and stepping back to look at her.

She looked down at the kitten that was no struggling to get out of her grasp, a genuine smile crept over her face and she shook her head, making Daryl's heart drop again.

"No," she replied softly, meeting his eyes again as she held out the struggling fluffball, "I think you should. It's your present for her, not mine."

Daryl took the kitten with a twitchy half smile and he nodded. She fell in step with him as they headed toward the camp. They found Sophia sitting in a folding chair washing potatoes off in a large washtub, Jimmy was off in the distance digging up more. Winter preparations were becoming an everyday thing, Daryl noticed...about time. Sophia sighed as she dropped a now clean potato into the clean washtub next to her and leaned back, pushing her hair out of her eyes, but she smiled shyly when Daryl approached her.

"Hi, Mr. Daryl," she said softly, not meeting his eyes.

"Hey, kid," Daryl was nervous but he couldn't figure out why, he was just gonna hand her this kitten and get the hell out of there. "I found something when I was huntin' today I figured you might want."

Sophia's interest was piqued and her eyes rose to meet his finally and he chose that moment to produce the kitten from behind his back as he had with Carol. Sophia's gaze dropped and when she saw what he was holding out to her she squealed in delight. She snatched the kitten and immediately began to nuzzle it and hold it close, whispering at it softly.

"Oh, Mr. Daryl, what is it?" she asked, her eyes bright with excitement.

"It's a bobcat," Daryl replied with a shrug, "Now look, kid, it looks innocent right now but I just gave you a dangerous animal. You think you've got what it takes to raise it right and train it?"

Sophia looked down at the kitten in her arms and then back up to lock gazes with him. She got a look of determination on her face and she nodded seriously.

"Yes," she replied, "I'll take good care of him and raise him to be nice."

Daryl nodded, satisfied that she would do just that. And then something happened that shattered his comfort zone, Sophia set the kitten on the chair and threw her arms around his waist in a tight hug. Daryl awkwardly patted her shoulder and then stepped away, pushing her back.

"Alright, kid, let's not get all sappy," he growled, but not unkindly, "It's just a kitten, not a million bucks."

"Thank you, da...Mr. Daryl," Sophia's face blushed hotly at what almost slipped out and she picked the kitten back up, "I'll start training him right away!"

"Better get it some warm milk first," Daryl ignored her word stumble on the outside, but inside his guts were twisting uncomfortably and he felt like running in the opposite direction...but honestly he was so tired of running from everything. Sophia smiled and nodded at his suggestion and began to skip toward the house. "And, Sophia, it's a she."

He wasn't sure how, but Sophia's smile widened even more and he felt a warmth in his chest as he watched her skip across the yard, clutching the kitten close.


	20. Happy Birthday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which some of the group go on a run and Daryl gets a surprise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tip Your Waitress: ko-fi.com/panjamysy  
> Tumblr: solar-pxwered.tumblr.com

Carol was starting to get use to the emptiness next to her in the mornings when the light would stream through the mesh of the tent and rouse her from the comforts of sleep. She always had that slight second of fear when she felt the vacancy at her side, but then her mind would register that he was hunting and he had left the machete in the spot he used to occupy. She ran her hand over the handle of the weapon and smiled, he was so protective of her.

"Mom," she heard Sophia's voice outside the tent and she sat, rubbing her eyes.

"Yeah, honey, come on in," she called through the thin material of the tent. Sophia unzipped the flap and stepped inside.

"Mr. Rick wanted me to come get you and Mr. Daryl," Sophia stated.

Carol sighed as she pulled her shoes on her feet and pulled on her thin cardigan that she realized was definitely not enough as of late, the days were getting colder. She emerged from the tent with a yawn and followed Sophia across the field toward the camp. Everyone was gathered near the vehicles and Carol heard the chatter as she approached, it sounded a bit heated like things always did when something like this happened. Honestly, could people not just...accept that things need to be done a certain way? She never fussed like Lori did when Daryl went on a run or was gone for days hunting, even if it did scare her out of her mind. She respected Maggie for her confidence in Glenn's ability to come back to her alive and safe.

"I think you should stay, Rick," Lori was saying as Carol joined the circle, she crossed her arms as she always did in a meeting, trying to keep from being noticed. Hmm, maybe she and Daryl were more alike than she thought.

"Lori, you know I can't send people out into danger while I just sit back," Rick sighed heavily, running his hand over his weary looking face. Obviously this argument had been going for a while.

"We need protection _here_ too, Rick!" Lori shot back without hesitation. Carol agreed with her on that aspect, but why couldn't the woman just...let her husband be the leader he needed to be?

"I know that, Lori," Rick snapped, "Do you honestly think I would leave this camp unprotected?"

"What's she bitchin' about now?" Carol yelped in surprise and turned quickly to see Daryl standing right behind her. How the hell did he manage to be so freakishly silent?

"You scared me!" Carol whispered with a nervous giggle, "Same old thing...she doesn't want Rick to go."

Daryl stood there without any expression on his face for a while as he listened to the age old fight, then he sighed and stepped past Carol, slightly inside the group.

"Rick, I'll go for you," he stated calmly, like it was no big deal. Carol nearly let out a groan of disappointment at the thought of him going off on a run again but she swallowed it as she remembered her thoughts from earlier.

Lori's head turned and she locked eyes with Daryl, relief flooding her gaze. He nodded in acceptance of her gratitude.

"Daryl..." Rick sounded hesitant, but Daryl waved him off and approached the map Rick had laid out.

"It ain't no big deal," he grumbled uncomfortably, "You thinkin' about that bigger town a little ways out to the west of here?"

"Yeah," Rick sighed, realizing he wasn't winning this battle unless he strictly ordered Daryl to stay. That was how their partnership worked. After the incident of Shane opening the barn, Rick had placed Daryl as his go-to second in command, much to Shane's shame and dismay. Daryl was confident that Rick was doing his best for the group and he rarely questioned an order given to him, he just did it in silence, whether or not he agreed with it necessarily. "We need to start thinking about winter. We need clothes, blankets, the works."

"Couldn't agree more," Daryl acknowledged with a nod. "I'll take a group, Rick. Just tell me who you want to go."

Rick raised his eyes from the map and looked at Daryl with something Carol couldn't quite place but...it looked a bit like respect.

"I think you're perfectly capable of deciding who to take on a run," Rick stated. Daryl met his gaze and nodded once, turning to the group behind them.

"Glenn," stated without hesitation, Glenn nodded in acceptance. "Andrea."

Andrea and Glenn silently made their way to the RV to get their weapons ready and Carol turned to leave, figuring the discussion was at an end.

"And Carol."

Carol stopped in her tracks, she turned around to stare in disbelief and found the majority of people doing the same.

"Are you crazy?" Rick asked sharply, "Carol's not a fighter!"

Daryl gave Rick a blank, unwavering look.

"We ain't goin' ta fight," he replied simply, "It's an in and out run and I say she's goin'."

Carol gulped loudly and shook her head.

"Daryl...I don't..." but one dead serious "don't argue with me" look from his cobalt blue eyes made her jaw clamp shut.

Rick sighed and shook his head.

"Alright, Daryl," he said quietly, "I sure as hell hope you know what you're doing."

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Don't forget that bow," Daryl's voice made her jump...again.

"Daryl, you've _got_ to stop sneaking up on me like that!" she snapped.

But Daryl only smiled his crooked half smile and waited with his crossbow slung over his shoulder, buck knife at his hip. Carol grabbed her bow and the quiver of arrows that Daryl had made her out of squirrel hides and backed out of the tent.

"I don't understand why you want me to come, Daryl," she said wearily.

"You need to get out of this place, Carol," Daryl replied simply, "I know you'd rather pretend the world out there doesn't exist, but it does and you gotta learn to take care of yourself."

Carol gaped at him. Was this his way of testing her?

"So you want to throw me right out in it with only a bow to protect me?" she asked.

"I'll be with you," Daryl assured her quietly, his eyes staring her down with the intensity of his promise. "I'll watch out for you, and I'm also gonna give you this."

He handed her the machete she was very familiar with by now. She grasped the handle firmly, trying to show him that she wasn't afraid, but her eyes told him the truth.

"Hey, hey," Daryl's voice suddenly lost its hard edge and he stepped forward, placing a hand on the side of her face. "You're gonna be fine, Carol. Just stick with me and stay on your toes."

Carol nodded, sticking her chest out and taking a deep, steadying breath. She nodded firmly and fell in step next to Daryl as they headed toward the camp again.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Carol loved riding behind Daryl on the motorcycle, it gave her a thrill and made her feel alive as they tore down the road. She had her arms tight around his middle and her left cheek pressed into his back as she watched the scenery flash by.

She was still on that position when they rolled to a stop on the road and she lifted her head to see where they were. Daryl swung his leg over and motioned for her to do the same and then he pushed the bike off the road into the woods, Glenn parked the Hyundai off to the side of the road as well and then they gathered on the pavement to discuss the plan.

"Here's the deal, we're all going into town together until we see what there is," Daryl stated, cocking his crossbow and setting an arrow. "This is our rendezvous point, anything goes wrong try the walkies, if we can't make contact you get your asses out here to this point. This moment forward, no one speaks, got it?"

Everyone nodded their agreement and Daryl led the way into the town. The first building they came across was a convenience store that Andrea and Glenn swept through, not that there was much left. They managed to find some Tylenol, a few bags of chips a few boxes of candy, three packs of menthol cigarettes for T-Dog, and a dented gallon of sweet tea. They waited by the store while Glenn literally ran their finds back to the Hyundai and then continued on when he got back.

"Walker," Andrea whispered, pointing ahead as they rounded a flea bag motel building. The walker was behind a fence in a used car lot, wandering without purpose and groaning as it shuffled between cars. Daryl raised a finger to his lips and put up his hand in the universal "stop" sign and then locked eyes with Carol and jerked his head motioning her to follow. Carol did her best to copy the crouch he dropped into, trying to move her feet as silently as he was but she was pretty sure she just looked stupid. They crept right up to the fence without being noticed by the walker and Daryl brought a second walker to her attention to their right.

Daryl stood up slowly and took aim at the one that was further across the yard and took it down with a quiet _twang_ as the arrow released and a _thunk_ as it sunk into the walker's skull. The closer one didn't even seem to notice anything had happened, but it had stopped to sniff the air and Carol knew it was going to smell them and she glanced at Daryl to see if he was ready for the next shot, but he just stood there looking at her. She looked at him with wide eyes and begged him silently to take the shot but he shook his head and nodded to her bow on her back.

Carol took her bow off her back slowly and quietly and pulled an arrow from the quiver, her nerves were on edge and fear clutched her as the walker turned and noticed them by the fence. It started to stumble towards them, growling and making god awful noises as it approached. Carol's entire body started to shake as she tried in vain to nock the arrow on the bow string.

"Carol, calm down and take the shot," Daryl stated quietly from her side.

Carol took a deep breath and focused on the string and arrow coming together and she almost laughed in giddy relief when they connected correctly. She raised the bow and almost let a scream escape her throat because the walker was only feet from the fence, without a second thought, she let the arrow fly and the walker fell, crashing into the fence and then sliding down. Carol sighed in relief when she saw that the arrow was protruding from a now empty eye socket.

"Good job, Robin Hood," Daryl said with a grin.

"Daryl, that was too close for comfort," Carol replied quietly, her voice quivering.

Daryl eyed her for a moment before he lifted his right hand. He had his buck knife clutched in his grip, and Carol realized she was safe all along. He had simply let her do what she needed to do...and Carol was suddenly grateful for his harsh teaching style because she was now aware of what she was capable of doing.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------

When the time came for them to split up Daryl and Carol went to the left side of the street where there was a small sporting goods store and Glenn and Andrea went to the Wal Mart on the hill just off the road.

Daryl opened the door to the store quietly and let his eyes adjust to the darkness inside before he stepped in. Carol followed, machete in hand as she scanned the large single room for movement. The place proved to be empty but she knew never to let her guard down. Daryl went immediately to the archery section and Carol went to the camping section.

Carol knew they she had struck paydirt as she scanned the pegs and shelves and she ran to the front of the store to grab a basket and then started filling it with freeze dried rations, lighter fluid, butane lighters, gloves, hot hand packets, water bottles, and water filters as well as any other items she assumed would be useful. And her eyes fell on a lone sleeping bag in the corner which she grabbed and dragged to the center of the store where Daryl had laid down a collection of arrows, arrow heads, fletching feathers, beeswax, strings, and two compound bows.

"Nice," he stated when he saw her basket of goods, he looked like a kid in a candy store and Carol smiled as he rocked from one foot to the other as his eyes scanned the walls and landed on a locked safe behind the counter. He shouldered his crossbow and ran over, vaulting the counter and eyeing the lock to see if it was penetrable.

"Is that a gun safe?" Carol asked, reaching under the counter for the buck knife that was buried under broken glass and shattered wood. It was smaller than Daryl's knife, but it looked to be in pretty good shape. She found a sheath on the wall full of the leather holders that fit it and she strung it on her belt with a smile.

"Aha!" Daryl's satisfied voice made her turn around. He was kneeling in front of the safe and the door was hanging open.

"Daryl...how did you do that?" Carol had a feeling she didn't want to know the answer.

"You'd be surprised what I can do," was all she got as a reply before he reached in and pulled out a rather sharp and dangerous looking rifle. "Oh, baby..."

"Wow...guess it was worth picking the lock." Carol watched as Daryl ran his hands lovingly over the black metal of the rifle.

"A-R 15," Daryl stated, not that it meant anything to Carol. "This is mine." And he slung it on his back by the strap to settle that statement.

When they finally exited the store, Carol didn't feel very safe carrying the weight of their loads, especially since Daryl had pulled out two more rifles from the safe, so they made the almost mile long walk back to the rendezvous point and dropped the stuff into the trunk of the Hyundai along with the stuff from the convenience store.

"Should we go meet up with them at the Wal Mart?" Carol asked as they shut the trunk.

"Yeah," Daryl nodded, "It's a big store, probably quite a haul for just a girl and a little Asian to carry."

Carol smacked his shoulder for the racial comment, but she knew it was all in good fun. Daryl respected Glenn and would go out of his way to save the Korean boy if it ever came down to it.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

By the time they had raided Wal Mart, they had four shopping carts full of winter clothes, coats, packaged food that would last through winter, ammunition, shoes, cases of water, and assorted other necessary items.

They made it out of town with only three walkers showing their nasty faces and getting arrows through the heads for it. Carol was back on the bike, clutching her arms around Daryl again in what seemed like no time. The familiar and comforting vibrations of the bike beneath her, coupled with the warmth that radiated from the firm body in front of her made Carol's eye drift shut and she dozed off as they roared back to the farm.

"Hey, let go," Daryl's voice cut into her sleep and she blinked rapidly in the darkness. "We're back."

Carol unwound her arms and leaned back on the bike, rubbing her eyes as she yawned. Daryl put the kickstand down and got off the bike then lifted Carol off without a second's hesitation. It surprised her but it was a good surprise.

The rest of the group were around the campfire but now a few of them had stood and were making their way over to them. Soon, the stuff was being grabbed from the Hyundai and taken inside the house to be sorted and stored and such. Carol grabbed the box out of the back that she had set aside specially and left the rest of them to it as she and Daryl headed to their own campsite. Everything specific to them was in her large box and neither of them felt like getting in the middle of the separating and unpacking and such.

"Ugh," Daryl moaned as he set his crossbow in it's place inside the tent, he unslung the rifle and set it next to it as well. Then he unbuckled his belt and dropped it, and his buck knife with it, on the ground by the head of their "bed". A place for everything and everything in it's place. Carol laid her bow and quiver in the corner at her head where it was meant to go and laid the machete at her feet. Her new knife she laid next to her bow.

"So, I was thinking..." Daryl said, breaking the silence of the tent, "Sophia's been messin' around shootin' your bow, right?"

"Yeah..."

"One of those bows from the store is a kid's bow," he continued, "Would she want it?"

Carol smiled softly in the darkness. This man never ceased to amaze her.

"You've been giving her a lot lately," she commented.

"She's gotta have a head start in this world if she want's to survive," Daryl said, defensively. "Someone's got to make sure she gets it."

"I know," Carol replied quietly, "By rights, it shoulda been her daddy."

Daryl spun on her quicker than she though possible, even for him. She found her arms grabbed tightly in his hands as he glared angrily at her.

"By _rights_ he shouldn'a even been able to be a part of creating a kid like that," he growled, his eyes flashing in light of the lantern, "By _rights_ he shouldn'a ever been allowed to even touch you. By _rights_ he doesn't deserve to even be remembered by you."

Carol's eyes widened a little further at each statement and she felt tears stinging her eyes, not out of pain or sadness...but out of the depth of his words.

"It _ain't_ right!" Daryl's rant continued and his grip tightened slightly, "That piece of shit didn't deserve any of it!"

Carol pulled her arms out of his grip and placed her hands on either side of his face, pulling him close so she could stare him down.

"Daryl!" she tried to snap him out of his anger, and it worked. His entire body seemed to deflate as he slumped into her, pressing his lips to her neck and kissed his way to her ear.

"Carol," he whispered softly, "By rights, I don't deserve you either."

Carol pushed him away from her so she could look at him.

"Daryl Dixon, don't you _ever_ say that again," she demanded sternly, "Do you hear me? You're a good man and you've shown me and my little girl what a real man is. You deserve anything you decide you want."

A heavy silence fell over them at that point, but Daryl's crooked twitch at the corner of his mouth told her she had said the right thing.

"And, Daryl," Carol said, breaking the silence, "I think she'd love that bow."

Daryl seemed satisfied and he began to do his nightly routine before bed. He took his crossbow up again and went to do a perimeter sweep of their little campsite to be sure there was nothing lurking nearby. He made sure his bike was covered and the keys were hidden where he always put them and whatever else he did out there each night. Finally, he came back in and Carol was giddy with excitement.

Daryl's eyes spotted the items on his sleeping bag and his expression became confused.

"Surprise!" Carol said with a grin. "Happy Birthday!"

"Excuse me?" Daryl cocked an eyebrow at her.

"I looked in your wallet last week," Carol admitted. "Patricia keeps track of the days on her calendar in the farmhouse. It's September nineteenth and you turned thirty three today. So, happy birthday and I got you presents!"

Daryl remained silent and got down on his knees at the foot of his bedroll, reaching out tentatively to pick up the brand new brown leather and camo hunting boots sitting in front of him. Carol had expected maybe a smile or something but she hadn't expected this...Daryl's eyes were squinting in a way she had seen only once before, the day when Rick had told him he'd handcuffed Merle to the roof. And were those tears glistening in his eyes?

"Daryl?" she ventured to ask. He was still touching the boots as if he thought they would disappear. He looked up at her and she saw something like deep hurt in his eyes. "Are...are you ok?"

"It's just..." his voice sounded thick and he cleared his throat, "I've, uh...never really..."

"You've never celebrated your birthday, have you?" Carol suddenly understood his shock.

"Never celebrated anythin'," Daryl admitted, " 'Cept for 4th of July...and we only celebrated that with explosions and beer, so it wasn't much different from a normal day."

Carol couldn't help it, she burst into laughter. Daryl's smile became genuine and full, his eye crinkles made her laughter stop and she smiled back.

"They're insulated so you won't get frostbite this winter while you're hunting," Carol pointed at the boots, "And this...will keep you even more warm than those."

She closed the distance between them in a flash, pushing him onto his back as their lips clashed together, she felt him laugh for a second before he returned the kiss.

"So..." Carol murmured quietly, "Anything special I can do for you? It's your birthday, after all so you're the one who gets to call the shots."

"This is the best birthday I've ever had," Daryl stated huskily before showing her exactly what he wanted.


	21. Cockblocked

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Andrea and Lori play a little trick on the lovebirds.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tip Your Waitress: ko-fi.com/pamjamysy  
> Tumblr: solar-pxwered.tumblr.com

The first thing Carol heard when she woke up was a deep, rumbling moan and she sat up immediately and grabbed the machete at her feet. Not until her brain caught up to her did she realize she wasn't alone in the tent. Daryl lay on his back next to her, arms and legs spread out, snoring lightly because his mouth was hanging open slightly. Carol sighed in relief as she laid back down with the machete clutched to her chest, her heart was pumping wildly. What the heck was he still doing in this tent anyway? The sun had been up for a long time and he should be out hunting! Annoyed at having been frightened out of her skin and having no one else to take it out on, she reached over and smacked him on the chest. He jerked wildly and sat up with his fists clenched, ready to fight...until he realized who had done it.

"What's your problem?" he growled in annoyance, but whatever else he might have said got cut off by a huge yawn.

"What are you doing here?" Carol asked, "You scared the crap out of me!"

"I scared the crap out of YOU?" he shot back in disbelief, "Who's the one who just got assaulted in their sleep?" 

Carol felt all the previous anger melt away as the amusement of the situation hit her and she began to laugh.

"You're insane," Daryl groaned as he fell back onto his sleeping bag and threw his arm over his eyes to block out the light. And it dawned on Carol why he wasn't out hunting...she had worn him out last night.

"Mmm," she mumbled as she snuggled into his neck, "Maybe I should call the shots from now on. You never know how much is too much for you to handle."

"I can handle anything you can dish out," he muttered back, using the arm he'd had over his eyes to pull her close. She felt his lips press to the top of her head. "Don't tell me you had any energy left either?"

Carol smiled mischievously but didn't answer. To be honest, she had been completely worn out...but she hadn't wanted it to end either. She never wanted it to be over.

"You'll be the death of me, Carol," Daryl said offhandedly.

Carol's heart jumped into her throat at his words and she felt a flash of anger. Without thinking too much, she grabbed him by the nipple beneath his shirt and gave him a firm twist.

"Ow, fuck!" Daryl sat up like he was spring loaded and pushed Carol off of him. "What the hell is your problem?"

"Don't ever say that again!" Carol demanded, a tear dripped down her cheek, "And don't you EVER let your guard down for my sake!"

And he realized how the words must have sounded. He rubbed his now sore chest and stared at her in disbelief.

"It's just an expression, Carol!" he griped.

"Not anymore it's not," Carol sighed, "Because it's a possibility in this...existence."

Daryl sighed in acceptance and his shoulders slumped in defeat. He nodded his acknowledgement and pulled her back down to the bed with him. She resettled herself and immediately felt sorry.

"Did that really hurt that much?" she asked timidly.

"I've felt worse," Daryl muttered darkly, making Carol's guilt even more intense.

"I'm sorry, Daryl," she whispered.

"You're pretty scary when you're mad," Daryl commented.

"You've never seen me mad," Carol replied mysteriously, "That was just...annoyance."

"Well then remind me not to piss you off."

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Carol found herself hanging up laundry later that afternoon when Sophia came charging up her, carrying her brand new compound bow that Daryl had brought back from town.

"Mom! Look what Mr. Daryl just gave me!" she squealed with delight, striking an archer's pose and pulling back the string. Carol almost scolded her about dry firing, but she couldn't bring herself to do it when she saw the happiness on her daughter's face. It was the type of happy she hadn't seen in Sophia for years...even before the world had gone to hell.

"Wow, Sophia! That's a nice looking bow!" she dropped Glenn's shirt she was about to hang back in the basket to give her daughter her undivided attention. Sophia offered her the bow and she took it, looking over it with nods of approval before handing it back. Sophia looked up and down the camo frame of the bow, her face beaming.

"It's awesome! And it's just my size!" she chattered, "Wasn't it nice of him to give me this?"

"It most certainly was," Carol agreed, her heart filled to the top with admiration for that man.

Sophia's eyes suddenly went from delight to confused.

"Mom...?"

"Yeah, hon?"

"Is...is Mr. Daryl going to be my dad someday?" Sophia's voice was quiet and her eyes stared back at Carol with an intensity Carol didn't recall seeing there ever before.

"I...oh, Sophia..." Carol's chest tightened at her daughter's question and she found herself wondering for the first time where exactly her and Daryl's relationship WAS going. "Listen, honey, we aren't married."

"I know," Sophia said, like it was common knowledge...which it was. "But you love each other, right? Why wouldn't you get married?"

Carol wished it was that simple...

"Sophia...would you _want_ him to be your dad?" she was curious about the answer, because Sophia had always been terrified of Daryl before.

"Yes!" Sophia squeaked without hesitation, "Mom, he's perfect for us!"

Carol couldn't agree more but she shushed her daughter with a finger to her lips when she saw Daryl come around the tents, walking toward them with his regular angry/bored expression.

"Kid you ran off before I could even give you the arrows," he groused, handing Sophia a quiver that was identical to Carol's only the fur was slightly lighter in color. Sophia took the quiver with a look of awe and the smile she gave him as she looked up at him was as bright as the sun.

"Thank you, Mr. Daryl!" she said happily, "You're the best man in this family!"

Daryl's blush was missed by Sophia, who waved at them as she ran off to show Carl her bow and arrows, but it didn't get past Carol.

"She's right, you know," she said quietly, standing up and brushing the dirt off her knees.

Daryl rolled his eyes and watched her as she picked Glenn's shirt back out of the basket to hang.

"I ain't one bit better than anyone else in this group," he muttered, embarrassed.

"You are to Sophia," Carol replied, "And to me."

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Something about the way Carol was hanging up those clothes was driving him crazy...or maybe it was just the testosterone rushing through his veins at the moment. He hadn't bothered to tell her about his hunting trip earlier that after noon and the fact he had faced a half a dozen walkers at an old farm house he found a few miles off. They were the owners of the house, he was sure by the photos on the walls inside. But, anyway, it had been a close call...and he wanted nothing more than to take her back to their tent and get rid of the adrenaline.

So he found himself behind her before he even knew quite what he was thinking, pulling her hips back into his as he nipped at her shoulder gently.

"Daryl!" Carol squealed, attempting to push his hands off her. "What are you doing?"

"What do you think?" he replied with a small laugh, "C'mon, Carol, use your head."

"You're not using yours!" Carol shot back, still struggling, "Or at least not the right one. We're right in the middle of the camp, Daryl...can you contain yourself for a little while?"

With a heavy sigh, he backed off, knowing she was right.

"Maybe for a little while," he said huskily, his tone full of promise as he re-shouldered his crossbow and gave her a wink. He turned on his heel and walked off.

But the need for relief didn't seem to subside no matter what he did to take his mind off of it and make time go faster. Even while he skinned and gutted the squirrels she was all he could think about and he cut his thumb with the freaking knife because of the distraction! After he had skinned and cleaned them all he gave them to Patricia, who had offered to cook them that night, and went to find Carol before he went crazy.

She was in the house, he discovered from Andrea who was in her usual spot on the RV.

"What do you need her for?" Andrea asked with a sly smile.

"Ain't none of your damn business," Daryl shot back rudely, not feeling like listening to any crude remarks Andrea might make. She had been shooting a lot of those at them recently. Smug bitch.

"Alright, just don't break her!" Andrea called after him loudly. Lori looked up from where she was sewing Carl's shirt with a look of shock, but when she saw Daryl stomping away angrily with his head ducked in shame, it turned ornery.

"Andrea, is he looking for Carol for any _specific_ reason?" she asked.

"What do you think?" Andrea asked with a waggle of her eyebrows, "They've been joined at the crotch for weeks now!"

Both women burst into laughter and Andrea suddenly had a wicked idea.

"Lori...come here and hear this horribly delightful plan of mine..."

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"C'mere."

Carol found herself yanked out of the kitchen and into the laundry room and she squealed in surprise. She spun around and came face to face with a very determined looking Daryl Dixon.

"Daryl, didn't I tell you recently to STOP sneaking up on me?" she snapped.

"Hush," was all the reply she got before she found herself lifted onto the now useless washing machine. Daryl's hands were in her shirt before she even realized she wasn't on her feet anymore.

"Daryl, what...?" his hand clapped over her mouth and the look he gave her made her words catch in her throat. His eyes were dilated and almost black with desire and there was something extremely exciting about that, so she tried not to think about the fact that they were in an easily discoverable place as he pushed himself between her legs.

"Oh, hey!" Lori's voice made them both freeze and Carol pushed Daryl away in panic. Lori stood in the doorway with a bottle of laundry soap in her hands, apparently wanting to put it back on the shelf where it belonged. She suddenly grinned broadly and set the soap on the dryer instead. "Don't mind me...I'm just...wow, you two are like a couple of rabbits."

Carol jumped down from the washer, blushing like crazy.

"Lori, we...we were just leaving," she shot Daryl an embarrassed glare and he met it with an annoyed roll of his eyes before he walked out, mumbling as he went.

Carol ducked her head as she returned to the kitchen, completely missing Lori's grin.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next opportunity Daryl saw was when Carol headed out to the well for a bucket of water for Patricia. He followed her as silently as possible and when she set the bucket down he scooped her up without so much as a "how do you do" and set her down behind the shed, placing his hands on either side of her shoulders, boxing her in.

"Daryl...are you serious?" Carol seemed annoyed but he didn't want to think about it right now so he shut her up with a needy, desperate kiss. He felt her tenseness relax slightly and grinned into her lips.

He hesitated for a moment, ears pricked for any noise signaling the chance of another interruption, but he was soon satisfied that no one would come out here and got serious. He gripped Carol under the thighs and pulled her legs around him, pushing the rapidly growing bulge in his pants into her and pushing her into the wall.

"You sure are crazy today," Carol comment breathlessly, her fingertips digging into his back as he ground into her.

"You have no idea," he growled, kissing her collarbone firmly. Carol felt his teeth dig into the skin there, just hard enough to make her squirm.

"Hey! Who left this bucket here?"

"Shit..." Daryl's voice sounded like he was going to break into a legitimate roar at any moment. Andrea came around the corner, Carol's forgotten bucket in hand and her eyes got huge.

"Oh...hey you two..." she said, and Carol could see she was trying not to giggle. Daryl sighed and backed away, letting Carol's feet set back on the ground. "I'm SO sorry! I just came down here to refill my water bottle..."

"It's fine, Andrea," Carol said with a forced smile. Daryl didn't share her easy forgiveness and he was glaring daggers at Andrea.

They all walked back to the house together, Andrea big them goodbye in the driveway and went back to the RV.

"Sorry..." Carol whispered to Daryl, who still looked livid.

"What's with all the cock blockin' today?" Daryl growled, "It's like they're doing it on purpose!"

And suddenly his eyes squinted dangerously. Carol wasn't sure she liked the look that they now held.

"Those little shits..." he said darkly, his gaze went to Andrea where she sat on the RV.

Carol saw it all now...Lori and Andrea were in cahoots, the little stinkers!

"I'm gonna kill someone..." Daryl threatened, deadly quite.

Shane chose that moment to come out of the house. He stopped next to them and glared at Daryl.

"Hey, you're suppose to be second in command her now," he said rudely, "You should be doing something productive, Carol's perfectly capable of getting water on her own."

Shane had done this many times, pick at Daryl because of his anger at being replace by him...but he had really chosen the wrong day to bring it up again. Daryl's fists clenched and Carol saw the muscles in his forearms go rock hard from the effort, he turned to Shane and got right up in his face.

"I ain't takin' this shit today, you son of a bitch!" he roared, causing Shane to back up a tiny bit, "Take my advice and get your ugly face out of my sight before I decide to improve your looks with my fist!"

Shane immediately got defensive and his eyes narrowed.

"You lookin' for another ass whoopin', Dixon?" he threatened, "I've done it before and I can do it again!"

Carol realized Shane was right. Daryl was very strong, no doubt about it, his arms were solid and every other bit of him was hard from years of natural work. But he was shorter than Shane and Shane was trained in defense and knew how to fight...but Daryl fought out of pure rage instead of discipline and Shane would take him down. She knew she had to stop the inevitable bloodshed so she shoved herself between them, pushing Daryl back by the chest.

"Stop it!" she shrieked, but they didn't separate easily. Every time she turned to push the one of them back, the other would advance again. Finally she closed her eyes and slapped Shane with all the strength she could muster. She was pretty sure she hurt her hand more than his face but he stopped trying to get at Daryl and looked at her in shock. She heard Daryl snort behind her.

"I'm sorry, Shane," Carol said sincerely, "But this is ridiculous! You know Daryl never asked for this position. And Daryl, you need to control your temper. What the hell is wrong with you today, anyway?"

Both men took a step back, Shane hung his head slightly before stomping off towards the barn. Carol turned back to Daryl and glared at him.

"Sorry..." Daryl's voice sounded utterly defeated and his shoulders slumped. Carol felt her heart squeeze at the dejection of his stance.

"Seriously, Daryl, are you alright?" she was honestly concerned by his behavior. "You're acting like a caged animal today!"

"Come back to the tent and I'll tell you?" he asked hopefully.

One look at those puppy dog eyes he was giving her and Carol's determination to be firm melted away and she sighed.

"Alright...but you'll tell me BEFORE anything else, got it?" she bargained.

"Got it," Daryl agreed, yanking her nearly off her feet in his haste to get across the pasture to their tent, "It's not a long story anyway."


	22. Needful Things

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which things get rough but hearts stay soft.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tip Your Waitress: ko-fi.com/panjamysy  
> Tumblr: solar-pxwered.tumblr.com

Carol nearly had to run to keep up with Daryl's determined stride as he pulled her across the meadow that separated their campsite from the big campsite, but she didn't really mind because she was curious to see what had him so worked up. Seriously, he was acting like a horny teenager with his first girlfriend. Oh...well, she WAS his first girlfriend...

When they reached the tent he checked the perimeter of their camp and the inside of the tent for walkers because that's just what he did. Always. No exceptions. When he was satisfied all was secure, he pulled Carol into the tent by her wrist and pulled her down next to him on the sleeping bags. He pushed her firmly until she was on her back looking up at him, smiling that smile that made her eyes nearly glitter. Daryl felt himself growing hard just looking at her and he didn't even pretend to ignore that fact, the woman drove him crazy just by being exactly who she was. Did the age difference concern him? He'd be a damn liar if he said it didn't cross his mind sometimes that they were nearly a decade apart in age...but in this world, did it really even matter anymore? Hell no, it didn't!

"Daryl?" her questioning voice shook him from his jumbled thoughts and he smiled down at her and cocked his head slightly, signaling that he was listening. "What's going on with you?"

"Can't a man just want his woman without raisin' concerns?" Daryl replied with a wink.

"You've been eyeing me like a piece of meat all day," Carol stated, her voice sounded...was that annoyance Daryl heard in that tone?

"You ain't no piece-a meat, Carol," he assured her, "It's just that..."

And he bent down to press a kiss to her jaw.

"You drive me crazy..." another kiss, at her jugular this time. "You walk around this farm..." this time his teeth grazed her skin just under her ear, "just doin' your thing and bein' all meek and quiet..." his tongue traced the rim of her ear, "you're cookin', cleanin', washin' and never gettin' no credit for it all..." his lips worked down the front of her throat, "you never ask nothin' from nobody and I see you smile at me and can't believe how lucky I am..." his lips stopped at the hollow of her throat and he leaned back slightly to meet her eyes, "to have a woman like you even give me the time of day."

He watched the effects of his words on her face. She let out a long, shaky exhale and her eyes had softened as she gazed up at him, the corners of her mouth pulled up in a shy smile...the smile that drove him nearly over the edge every time. He groaned and leaned back down, claiming her lips gently, forcing himself to hold back even though every fiber of his being wanted to do very ungentlemanly things right now.

"Is that really all that's bothering you?" Damn if this woman couldn't see right through him like he was fuckin' glass.

Sighing, Daryl resigned himself to calming down until she was satisfied his soul was bared.

"No," he admitted quietly, "I...found another farmhouse today while I was out hunting. I went inside to check it out and I ran into a family of walkers."

Carol's eyes widened and he almost regretted his words, but she had asked and so he would tell her the truth. Truth, he had found, usually worked better than white lies.

"To be honest, Carol...I didn't know if I was gonna make it out alive," The fear he had felt at that moment as the walkers closed in on him washed over him again as he remembered. "All I could think about was you. Well, somehow I managed to take them all down, but I'm not sure exactly how..."

Carol reached over and gripped his forearms tightly, her eyes filled with fear and sympathy.

"When I got back and I tried to pretend nothin' had happened, and I tried to take my mind off it by givin' Sophia that bow and stuff, but as soon as I saw you all that stress and fear I put on the backburner just...I just couldn't think. All I could think about was "if I had died today, I'd never get to do this again". Honestly...I think it's just that adrenaline rush so can we stop talkin' now 'cause I just wanna do some God awful things with you right now?"

Carol's eyes were wide as she tried to organize that jumble of admissions and information but she seemed to come back down to earth at his last statement and she gave him that little smile again and that was all the signal he needed.

Carol gave a little "eek" as he pushed her onto her back, his hand on the back of her head kept her from colliding painfully with the ground under the sleeping bag, but that was the only thing that was gentle about him at the moment. After all the day's disappointments, pure unbridled need was driving his actions.

Daryl wasted no time in pulling off every barrier of clothing Carol was in possession of at the time, but Carol found this turn of events terribly exciting. She had never seen him so fiercely determined and desperate for her and his quick panting and growling as he yanked her jeans off sent jolts of anticipation down her spine. Hadn't she just been thinking the other day that she wished he would be a bit more aggressive? Well, it looked like he had read her thoughts.

Aggression. That about pegged it. Daryl had never felt like this in his life. Sure, he was well acquainted with aggression and ferocity and the need to fight...but he never knew you could feel aggression and ferocity and still feel the amount of love and care for the person it was directed at. He claimed her mouth with deep, tongue-filled kisses and nipped and bit and sucked his way down her jaw, throat, to her chest and stomach but it all seemed like such a waste of time in his fevered state.

"Fuck this," he muttered against her stomach. Leaning back, he pulled his shirt over his head and tossed it aside carelessly then stripped off jeans and boxers in one swift movement before returning to his spot hovering over her. He saw Carol's eyes grow wide as he positioned himself and he used every last bit of self control to give her time to second guess. She didn't, instead she gave him a look that was very clearly approving and she nodded firmly, never breaking eye contact until he had pushed fully into her.

For a moment, all Daryl could see were bright flashes of light in his vision behind tightly closed eyes and he could only hear the sharp intake of breath from the angel beneath him. Nothing else mattered at all. Gathering his willpower and returning to the moment, he bucked into her again, testing the waters...so to speak. He saw nothing in Carol's face that told him this was wrong, not a hint of fear, and that only made him want her more.

"Daryl," Carol's whisper sounded like music to his ears and he looked at her with lust clouded eyes, trying to focus on what she wanted to say. She reached up and threaded her fingers into his hair and locked her eyes with his intently. "You really need this don't you?"

All he could manage was a nod, his mind was too jumbled to think of any words.

"Then do whatever you need to do," Carol's voice was calm and understanding, "Sometimes, romance just isn't in the cards. I think what you need is a good fuck, pardon my French, and as long as you get it from me and only me...I'm more than glad to give it to you."

Her words registered in Daryl's blood deprived mind and every ounce of hesitation went out the window. Bracing himself on his elbows, he slammed into her with a force that nearly took the breath out of his lungs but he didn't slow down after that initial thrust. He felt cool sweat trickling down his back from the combination of his effort and the hot Georgia sun on the tent but he didn't slow, he never hesitated and he never once looked at Carol. His eyes remained squeezed shut and his hands remained clenched at her sides, refusing to touch her. But he couldn't stop his hearing, and the jerky moans and small whimpers beneath him only made him push harder, faster and deeper as he felt that familiar tightness that warned him he wasn't going to last much longer, and that was fine by him.

All it took was four more deep, sporadic thrusts until his entire body jerked and he felt that familiar tingling explosion as all the day's tension left him and he released into her. He pressed his forehead to hers as he tried to breathe, the effort having left him gasping for air and consciousness. Slowly, rational thought began to return to his fuzzy, anemic brain and he slowly opened his eyes. And he was glad he did.

Carol met his gaze with a soft expression. He saw no judgement, no disgust, no fear and he sighed deeply in relief and softly pressed a kiss to the side of her mouth as he pulled out and rolled onto his side so he could just look at her. She was covered in a thin sheen of sweat and she almost seemed to glow in the light that filtered through the mesh of the tent window, her chest was rising and falling quickly from the whole ordeal, but her face remained calm and peaceful, a soft smile directed at him.

"Feel better?" she asked quietly.

"Yeah," Daryl mumbled back, feeling that sleepiness starting to overtake him. He shook his head to clear the gathering fog because he didn't want to miss anything about her right now, but she only smiled and rolled onto her side, propping her elbow up and resting her head on her hand as she looked over at him.

"You're tired now, aren't you?" she asked, knowingly.

"I'm sorry..." he really hated that this always happened, but he literally couldn't fight it.

Carol leaned over and pressed a kiss to his left temple and ran her fingers lightly down from his eyebrows to his cheekbones, forcing his eyes to close.

"Stop apologizing," she whispered in his ear, her breath tickling him to the point where he almost giggled _**What the fuck? You're a Dixon, you don't giggle!**_

And with that last thought, Daryl slid into a deep sleep.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Carol laid there for a long time, just drinking him in. Only moments ago he was a complete animal, forceful and rough and fierce but now he was lying there like a fallen angel, beautiful and silent as his chest rose and fell slowly and evenly. Every hint of what she had just found him capable of had faded into memory as she watched him sleep. The only time Daryl ever looked helpless was when he slept and Carol was sure he had no idea she watched him as much as she did. In fact, if he knew what he looked like when he slept he would probably stop sleeping altogether.

Carol sighed as sleep started to press in on her along with the gathering darkness of the late evening. She figured she might as well just call it a night and do a cautionary perimeter check before she succumbed to the call of the sandman. Grabbing her machete, she rocked onto her knees. This proved to be a mistake, however because she felt a burning pain shoot through her crotch and she gasped sharply.

"Ow," she complained quietly to the darkness since there was no one to really hear her anyway, "Damn you, Daryl. That's gonna be tender for a while."

But she just shook her head as the pain subsided and stood up, making her way out to make the sweep.

 _It's worth it._ Carol's mind told her as she scanned the darkness for walkers. And it was, if nothing else it was worth it just to see the look of peace on his face. After everything he'd done for her, the group, her daughter she was more than glad to give him what he needed. And the best part was...he had waited for her permission. He may have completely dominated her not moments ago, but she had never felt more in control of her own body than now.

_Fuck you, Ed. Fuck. You._


	23. Gun Oil

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Carol and Daryl discuss fertility and clean guns at the same time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tip Your Waitress: ko-fi.com/panjamysy  
> Tumblr: solar-pxwered.tumblr.com

Daryl woke up just before the butt crack of dawn, his well tuned biological alarm clock woke his system slowly but effectively and he blinked in the darkness as his eyes adjusted. Sighing, he rolled up into a sitting position, rubbing his eyes and yawning. When he realized he was completely naked he chuckled in the darkness and reached over to the side to run his hand over Carol's leg. _Somewhere along the way in my completely fucked up life, I must have done something right._

He gathered his clothes from the floor where he remembered haphazardly tossing them the night before in his desperation to connect with his, and he could safely say this now, HIS woman. If she hadn't been before last night, that had changed...he knew from the way she had looked at him after; it was a look he'd only ever dreamed of seeing in a woman's eyes. The look of complete satisfaction. Not just necessarily sexual satisfaction, but satisfied with everything. He had expected some hurt, maybe some anger after the way he'd taken her, because he knew it had been a little painful for her and he wasn't dumb enough to think it hadn't, but she hadn't looked at him like he was an animal. She understood what he had needed, wanted, and she didn't _have_ to let it happen. But she had chosen to.

He felt a little guilty for leaving this morning as he grabbed his bow and knife and half stood in the tent, but that was another thing about her he loved: she didn't expect him to snuggle or cuddle or be all lovey dovey, touchy feely. She understood his job as a hunter, as a provider, and she let him do it without a single complaint. She let him be himself and never made any attempt to change him, and so he was more than happy to change _himself_ to be what she needed and so he found himself cuddling and snuggling and being lovey dovey, touchy feely simply because _he_ wanted to.

"Damn it, woman," he whispered as he leaned down to press his every morning goodbye kiss to her cheek, "If the world had to end for me to find you...I'm fuckin' glad all this happened."

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Carol woke as soon as the first ray of light shone through the material of the tent and she kicked it into auto pilot, putting her socks and shoes on, grabbing her morning toiletries (the Greenes were nice enough to let them use the bathroom in the mornings for showers, toothbrushing, etc.), and she added something new to her routine, she strapped her buck knife on her hip. Pulling it out, she looked at it with a grin. It was definitely smaller than Daryl's by a little, but it was sharp, serrated and fierce looking. The steel of the blade glinted in the sunlight as she turned it and she wondered vaguely if she would ever have the courage to use it.

"WOW!" her daughter's voice made her jump and she sheepishly looked over at her where she had come around the tent. "That's a huge knife!"

"Yeah, I found it the other day when we went to town," Carol admitted, "I thought it would be nice to have one."

"It looks like Mr. Daryl's," Sophia pointed out, "But his is even BIGGER! Remember when he tried to stab Rick when he found out they left his brother in the city?"

Carol remembered, she remembered VERY well. That Daryl Dixon had scared her back then, back when he was a time bomb just waiting to go off.

"Yes I do," Carol said softly, placing a hand on Sophia's shoulder, "But he's come a long way, hasn't he?"

Sophia nodded, grinning widely.

"I really like him now, mom," she stated, "If you're not gonna marry him, I'll take him!"

Carol playfully gave her daughter a push and they walked to the farmhouse laughing.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

_Stupid. That was a stupid move._

Daryl pulled the deer with all his might, sweat dripped from his hair that was plastered to his face from the exertion of trying to get this heavy ass animal carcass back to camp. He mentally kicked himself, feeling stupid for using a gun and possibly attracting walkers but...damn it he wanted to try that rifle out so bad he'd just...HAD TO!

Even field dressed the deer was a heavy son of a bitch and every time an antler would jab him in the side, Daryl gave it's face a swift kick to take out his annoyance at himself. FINALLY, the edge of the woods was in sight and he gathered some more strength and continued hauling his catch.

Andrea spotted him from the RV and T-Dog soon came out to help bear the burden. Together, they dragged it all the way to the tree where they had butchered the wild boar that time and Shane helped them string it up.

He spotted Carol and Sophia walking towards them from the house and he felt his chest puff up just a little when Carol gave him a proud smile and scanned the deer with awe.

"Thanks, Dog," he said as he left T-Dog and Shane to do the butchering, Carol's smile widened even more. "What's that smile for?"

"I like the way you say "dog"," Carol said with a shrug.

"Yeah? How do I say it?" he asked, confused.

"Like...daawwg," Carol drawled dramatically and sent Sophia into a giggly fit.

"No I don'," Daryl defended, giving Sophia an annoyed glare. But the girl didn't flinch away or look down at the ground this time, she just giggled harder. "Ok, so _maybe_ I have a bit of a drawl."

And when he said drawl, he could actually feel it on his tongue. Yeah...he guessed maybe he had a little more of one than the rest of them.

Carol leaned forward and he accommodated for the slight height difference by leaning down a little so she could reach his ear to whisper:

"It's sexy as hell."

He only smiled and gave her a wink before heading to the RV. He grabbed the gun cleaning kit from the closet and nodded for Carol to follow him as he headed for their target range. On the way, Carol stopped to get her bow so she could practice while he cleaned.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------

_Thump!_

"You're getting way too good at that," Daryl commented as he took apart his rifle and arranged the cleaning supplies around him. "I'm gonna lose my livelihood if you keep that up."

Carol eyed the bullseye she'd just hit with a proud smile. She nodded and nocked another arrow, taking aim at the other haybale "walker". She hit it too, only not dead center like the other...still, not bad.

"Daryl, no one can replace your hunting skills," she stated, turning to look at him as she took a break from shooting.

"Damn straight," he acknowledged as he stuck a piece of cloth on the ramrod and stuck it down the barrel of the gun. Carol scrunched up her nose at the smell of the chemicals and oil.

"You know," she said seriously, "That stuff can cause sterility in men."

Daryl stopped his ramrodding and looked up at her with an odd expression, finally he just shrugged and went back to work.

"Whatever," he stated darkly, "Not like I plan on reproducing anyways."

Carol put on her best shocked face and waited for him to look at her again. He soon glanced up at her and then did a double take when he saw the look she was giving him.

"What!" he asked, looking highly uncomfortable.

"You mean to say you don't want to make babies with me?" she tried her best to make her voice sound genuinely upset. "I...I thought..."

"Carol!" Daryl looked like a rabbit caught in a snare, his eyes were wide and his jaw went a little slack, "I...I didn't mean...I didn't know...wait, do you want me to?"

Carol couldn't hold it in anymore, she sat down next to him and started laughing. He was still looking at her with a mix of fear and uncertainty when she finished her laugh so she kissed him right between the eyes softly and decided it was a good time to tell him the truth.

"Honestly...I would, but I can't," she admitted.

"Hell no you can't," he agreed, "Not when the world's like this."

"No...Daryl...I CAN'T," Carol stressed the word and comprehension dawned on his face. "After Sophia was born, Ed made me go get my tubes tied. So...there's no way."

She didn't know what to expect but she wasn't really surprised when the expression he got on his face was relief.

"Thank God," he said with a sigh, "I've been all worried about that because...well we haven't exac'ly been smart about it."

"Well...no worries," Carol shrugged halfheartedly.

Daryl's left side of his face twitched like it did when he felt bad about something or when he realized something suddenly.

"Hey..." he said carefully, "I'm sorry. That was a really stupid thing to say..."

Carol shook her head and smiled, kissing him gently on the lips to shut him up.

"I have Sophia," she said, "You're right, I couldn't handle bringing a baby into this world. And plus...I can have all the wild, nasty, dirty sex I want and not have to worry about a thing. Poor little fertile Lori, huh?"

"She don't have a clue what she's missin'," Daryl grinned and went back to cleaning the gun, eyeing the cleaning fluid bottle and shaking his head. "Oughta let Rick clean all the guns so it don't happen again...or maybe Shane."

Their eyes met and they both burst into laughter.

"Oh...that's not very nice, Daryl!" Carol tried to sternly reprimand him but she couldn't keep a straight face. She smacked his shoulder in an effort to convey her disapproval.

"Don't even pretend you don't think it's true," Daryl said firmly, "The guy's a sex addict. You know he got Andrea too, right?"

"Andrea! Nuh uh!" Carol WAS surprised at that!

"Yup."

"You have no room to talk though," Carol stated, "You're a sex addict yourself."

"Me!" Daryl looked genuinely shocked, "You're the one who grabbed me under the table at dinner that time! You're more of a sex addict than me!"

"Psh! Daryl, please, don't try to deny your true self," Carol waved off his attempt at pinning it all on her. "You're the one who spent the entire day yesterday trying to get in my pants!"

"Didn't have to try too hard," Daryl's grin was evil as he looked at her from under his brow in that way that hade her weak in the knees. "I think you've got a little bit of a naughty side there."

Carol was pretty sure he hadn't the slightest clue the dirty things that ran through her mind when he was around...or when he wasn't. The things she thought about him, the scenarios in her head would make a prostitute blush. She was having a thought right now...and she was gonna show him just a hint of it.

"Show me how to clean that?" she asked, pointing at his rifle.

Daryl looked a little surprised at the sudden change of subject but he handed her the gun slowly anyway and told her the steps and what the different chemicals, cloth strips and metal pieces were for. She cleaned the small pieces honestly and well but this wasn't the part she was thinking of. But finally, he set the tiny pieces aside and he handed her the ramrod and patches.

Carol locked her eyes with his as she put some of the cleaner fluid on the patch and stuck it on the tip of the ramrod, then she gave him a wicked, wicked grin and picked up the gun, getting onto her knees and straddling the stock of it as seductively as possible. She broke the gaze then and popped her hips back as she slowly inserted the ramrod into the barrel and pushed it down inside then pulled it slowly back out again. She did that a few times before she started pushing it in a little faster, and a little faster, and a little faster until she was pretty sure she was violating some sort of law about indecency or sexual relations with an inanimate object. Finally, she pulled the ramrod out in one smooth motion and blew the patch off the tip, her eyes flicked over and she knew she was proving her point.

She repeated the ramrodding until the patch came out clean and then she backed off the stock and stood the gun up, barrel to the sky and held it between her knees as she sat back, butt to heels. She snatched the rag out of Daryl's back pocket without so much as a warning and he flinched like none other. She gave him wink and then turned her eyes back to the gun, her gaze locked on the long, smooth barrel as she put a few drops of gun oil on the rag. Then, tantalizingly slow, she gripped the top of the barrel with the rag and ran it all the way down to the back of the barrel, twisting her wrist in way she had learned back in high school underneath the bleachers. She just as slowly ran the rag back up, running her hand all the way off the top before returning at the start.

She heard Daryl's audible gulp as she began to pump the barrel with the oily rag in her fist, stroking it firmly now, lovingly suddenly, quickly then. For good measure, she pulled her bottom lip between her teeth and looked up the barrel as she gave it one last powerful upward stroke.

She turned to Daryl then and handed him the well oiled, smooth metal weapon and rag. He took it from her without even blinking as he stared back at her, jaw tight and eyes dark and dilated. He set the gun frame on his lap and ran a hand down his face, looking over his thumb at her with disbelief.

"Holy shit."

"Shit ain't holy, Daryl," Carol stated simply. She gave him a smile and then rose quickly, grabbed her bow and skipped away, leaving him alone to consider just how much of a naughty side she might have.


	24. Taken

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Carol is taken during the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tip Your Waitress: ko-fi.com/panjamysy  
> Tumblr: solar-pxwered/tumblr.com

Daryl eyed the gun with envy as Carol skipped off towards camp. Not their tent, but fuckin' CAMP, meaning she had no intention of relieving this growing tension in his pants. _Evil little bitch..._

With a heavy sigh, Daryl began piecing the gun back together slowly, his brain filled with images of Carol's hand sliding up and down the barrel, her tongue sticking out slightly from between her lips as she rode the stock like a horny cowgirl. The barrel was slick with it's newly oiled finish, maybe too much oil...but he sure as hell wasn't going to tell her that.

Grumbling to himself, he put the smaller pieces back together and then completed it all by fixing it correctly back into one piece of deadly machinery. Hmph, if Carol wanted to mess around with dangerous weapons, he'd just have to show her that _he_ was the most dangerous weapon on this farm. He felt himself twitch, almost as in agreement and he grabbed himself firmly through his jeans.

"Quit it, you traitor," he mumbled, annoyed that she could manage to do this to him without touching him...or even being in the near vicinity! "Great...I'm talking to my dick."

Daryl figured he probably _was_ going crazy after all.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Carol didn't feel bad about what she'd just done at all...maybe she WAS the sex addict of the two! She had gotten a huge kick out of watching him go slowly crazy from her little show, did that make her a sadist?

But it wasn't that she wanted him to suffer, that wasn't it at all...it was the power. She'd never had this power before, that power that all women spoke of at their adult versions of slumber parties, that power that could have a man in the palm of your hand. _Ironic choice of words, Carol, considering what you just did back there..._

She'd never had this with Ed, or anyone for that matter, and she liked it. She would make it up to him later, she knew, and she looked forward to it, but for now it had been enough just to watch him squirm. She still could feel the cold steel between her hands and her legs and she knew she had gun oil all over her. She HAD to share this with Andrea.

She found her on the RV as usual and she climbed up beside her, scanning the area for anyone who might overhear. She only saw Shane still cutting away at the last tiny bits of meat on the deer bones, everyone must have gone to help grind, package and salt the meat to store for winter.

"Hey, Carol, where did you and Dixon go off to?" Andrea's tone was suggestive and Carol couldn't help but giggle. "Whoa, she's giggling! Must have been a doozy! Girl I'm all ears, tell me something that'll help me make it through watch duty!"

"Well...in all honesty, nothing happened," Carol admitted, "But...it will."

"Meaning...?"

"Andrea, I feel like a complete slut but...man, it was too fun!"

"TELL ME!"

Shane looked up from his meat carving and gave them both a questioning look. Andrea and Carol both waved him off and lowered their voices.

"Ok, so...I pretty much fucked his gun..." Carol started out.

"If that's a euphemism, you need to work on finding a better one because that's a bit obvious..."

"No, Andrea, his literal gun," Carol laughed, holding her hands up in defense at her accusation, "He was cleaning it while I was practicing shots with my bow and I sat down to watch and we started talking about who was the bigger sex addict..."

"You." Andrea stated simply.

"Well...you're probably right, but the point is I asked him to teach me how to clean it so at first I did it right and helped him clean all the little inside parts. But then he gave me the main frame and I started ramrodding the barrel..."

"Oh, Carol, you didn't do what I think you did...?"

"I pretty much straddled the thing, I'm pretty sure there should be a law against the things I did to that gun..."

Andrea burst into laughter.

"So, what DID you do?" she asked through her giggles.

"Well I, um, oiled the barrel..."

Andrea couldn't take anymore. She laughed so hard that she slid off the lawn chair and sat there gasping for breath on the roof between her guffaws and squeals. Finally, after they were both laughed out, they sat up and wiped the tears of mirth out their eyes.

"Oh that poor man," Andrea said breathlessly as she pulled herself back into her chair and scanned the area and distance for walkers again, "He's sure got his hands full."

"At this moment? Yeah, he probably does."

Andrea gave Carol an utter shocked look and they dissolved into laughter once again. Carol thought they would both have killer abs by the end of the day.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Daryl could hear the laughter as he approached the farm and he shook his head and glared at the ground. It didn't bother him that she told Andrea about their...exploits, but this wasn't funny at all and he didn't fancy the looks they would give him when he went past that RV. Sure enough, Andrea's eyes followed him boldly as he walked up and she gave him a wink, he wondered just what Carol had told her. Carol kept her eyes averted until he walked on past the RV and then she raised them, expecting to watch his back as he went most likely, but Daryl had turned around and was walking backwards, never breaking stride. He gave her the darkest, most threatening glare he could possibly create and he touched touched just below his eyes with his right pointer and middle fingers and then pointed them back to her in the universal "I'm watching you" sign. He just managed to catch the flicker of nervousness in her eyes before he turned around and continued his march to the well to wash the gun oil off his hands.

The cold well water worked to calm down the nerves she had woken in the field and he sighed as he felt his body returning to it's normal mode. All this recent cockblocking couldn't possibly be healthy...

_HISS!_

"Holy shit!" Daryl looked up and came face to face with bared teeth and flashing green eyes and he literally threw himself backwards, hand automatically drawing his buck knife. But then it dawned on him.

"Sorry..." Sophia's tiny, scared voice made him turn his head and look up, glaring at her. "She's not gonna hurt you, you just scared her!"

Daryl eyed the now half grown bobcat with doubt, but he pushed himself back onto his toes and stared the cat down, expressing his dominance. Cat's hate to be stared at, he knew. Sure enough the bobcat backed up a little and lost interest in him, trotting over to Sophia.

"Kid, didn't I tell ya you gotta raise that cat up right?" Daryl snapped at Sophia. She flinched slightly and he felt a pang of guilt.

"If you were around more, she'd be use to you like everyone else," Sophia defended her pet, placing a hand on it's head and scratching it behind an ear. Loud purring invaded Daryl's hearing.

"I got better things to do, kid," he muttered darkly, sheathing the knife.

"Like sleep with my mom?"

Daryl squinted suspiciously at her, not know if she meant it literally or in the sense he was thinking.

"She comes back from your guys' tent every morning with a big smile and she looks really happy," Sophia commented simply, sitting down and allowing her bobcat to climb onto her lap. Daryl felt his chest puff up just a bit from Sophia's words but he tried not to let that show.

"Yeah, well..." he mumbled, continuing his scrubbing to rid himself of that strong chemical smell.

"She talks about you all the time," Sophia continued without hardly taking a breath, "I think you're good for her."

"Good for her?" Daryl asked in spite of his vow not to have these discussions with Sophia.

"Yeah," Sophia said like it was the simplest concept in the world, "She never looked so happy with daddy and she never smiled hardly ever...and she barely ever laughed."

Daryl felt something clutch his heart uncomfortably and squeeze tightly, nearly taking his breath away.

"Mr. Daryl..." Sophia looked over at him hesitantly and then looked away, shutting her mouth.

"Kid, haven't I told you before that if ya got somethin' ta say you'd best spit it out?" Daryl grumbled as he wiped his hands on his pants for lack of towel or dry anything.

"I wish..." Sophia's voice dropped to where he could barely hear her. "I wish _you_ were my daddy."

Daryl's eyes shot as wide open as they could go and he felt himself sit down heavily as if his legs had given out on him in his crouch. His mind swam with a million different reactions, words, answers and he squeezed his eyes shut to try and focus on which one to use. Giving up, he turned to ask Sophia what she meant exactly but found the spot she had occupied empty, her figure retreating towards camp with the bobcat on her heels.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Night crept up on Carol and by the time she had ended her conversation with Maggie over the dishes about how to go about getting more supplies for winter, it was dark outside and the crickets and treefrogs were singing their song. Carol was scared, literally scared. She hadn't seen Daryl since he walked past the RV earlier that day, his eyes cold and hard and full of frightening promise...she stepped outside, expecting him to grab her as soon as she was off the porch but no, he wasn't there.

Carol felt a mix of relief and worry wash over her. Relief at having been wrong, worry about where he WOULD be waiting. She knew she was in for it tonight after her smart ass thing with the gun...which didn't seem as funny anymore in the darkness. She felt like a virgin in a big city who thinks every dark alley holds a rapist...which wasn't really too far from the truth...ok, that was most definitely an exaggeration.

A twig snapped to he right and she let out a yelp and spun to the side, causing a rather startled raccoon to waddle off towards the stable. Carol clutched her chest and shook her head in annoyance at her skittishness. Of course he wouldn't jump her right here in the middle of camp...right? Right.

So she walked on with confidence and called goodnight to Glenn on top of the RV as she passed. Glenn waved back with a smile and returned the good night. Carol felt a lot better as she walked past the smoldering embers of the campfire and the tents. She stopped by the log in the field just past the tents and looked up at the sky, admiring how bright the stars were for the first time in a long time...she hadn't even thought about stars since the day they had packed up to leave for Atlanta.

But her admiration was suddenly cut short when she felt a firm hand clap over her mouth and an unyielding arm pin both of hers down at her sides with a squeeze a python would be proud of and he felt herself being pulled backwards, her feet stumbling to keep up. She would have smiled if she hadn't been so surprised and she felt her heart beating wildly from the shock. Carol looked out of the corner of her eyes trying to catch a glimpse of where they were headed and that's when the panic started to rear it's head. She had expected to be pulled off to the tent across the field, but her kidnapper was pulling her towards the woods...nowhere near the campfire that burnt a way off that marked the location of her and Daryl's tent. Suddenly, the arms and hands that were around her didn't seem so friendly and something about this person behind her felt different! Carol's mind started going crazy and she tried to scream as she tore wildly at the hand over her mouth, but it only pressed into her face harder, the thumb pressed up against her nostrils, effectively cutting off her breathing.

Something about not being able to breath makes you fight even harder and she started trying to kick her attacker, but whoever it was avoided all her furious attempts and they kept moving steadily toward the woods. He let her nose go free and Carol sucked in a wonderful breath of cold Georgia night air and she wiggled and pushed and did everything possible to try and get away, including digging her nails into the skin of her attacker's stomach that she managed to get her hands under.

After what seemed to Carol as a lifetime, she found herself pushed and pulled into the woods and she lost all desire to fight and fell completely limp, a tear falling from her eye as she wondered if maybe Randall's group had found them after all this time. Then she felt something even more frightening...a blindfold being tied over her eyes and behind her head. The hand then found her wrists and pulled them both behind her back and she felt herself pushed down to her knees...roughly, but not painfully. Then she felt the hot whisper of breath on the back of her neck and the heat of her kidnapper's chest pressing into her back

"Please," Carol did the only thing she could think of, talk. "I'm not gonna fight you and I'll do whatever you want but please don't kill me!"

The grip, the weight, the breath, all of it disappeared and she heard a disbelieving scoff. Oh, hell no...

"DARYL!" Carol lifted the blindfold and jerked her head around and sure enough, Daryl was kneeling behind her with a look of triumph on his face.

"Damn, I'm a better actor than I thought!" he said with a grin.

"You're a better _kidnapper_ than you thought, you mean!" Carol was so relieved and yet pissed at the same time.

"Hush, you know I'd never hurt ya," Daryl waved her off, rolling his eyes.

"I didn't know it was you!" Carol felt a tear sting her eye and she blinked it back angrily.

Daryl's expression changed completely to a look of surprise.

"Really? Well, who the hell did ya think it was?" he asked.

"I didn't know, thus the begging and fighting!" Carol snapped.

"Oh...thought you were jus' playin' along," Daryl admitted sheepishly.

"Well...ugh...thank God it's just you..."

"JUST me?"

"You know what I mean."

They both fell quiet and the cricket songs grew unbearably loud it seemed to Carol. But Daryl's expression kept morphing every few seconds and Carol wondered what was going on in that mind...

"You know what? You ain't gettin' outta this that easy," he finally snapped. Carol watched nervously as he stood and walked slowly around behind her again and dropped silently to his knees, one on either side of her hips. "I think I owe you a little bit of disappointment."

"Is that a statement about yourself? You said it, not me." Carol was so mad at him for his stupid stunt she stooped low enough to throw out a harsh ego blow.

"Psh, shut up," Daryl's growl sounded almost genuine, but she heard a hint of amusement in there too. However, the firm twist of both her wrists behind her back once more was not so teasing and the blindfold that was once again secured over her eyes wasn't either.

Carol wasn't sure what to expect. She'd never been in such a frightening, yet exciting, position before. She felt something different take the place of the hand around her wrists and she realized a second too late that it was the remnants of one of Daryl's many ripped sleeves, securely tying her wrists together. Shit.

"Daryl..."she said hesitantly, but he hushed her and she felt silent. She felt his now free hands run up her arms, around her shoulders, down her chest to her stomach and then felt the hem of her shirt lifting. "You can't do that if my arms are tied..."

She heard Daryl give an angry sniff and then the sound of his buck knife being drawn. Oh, God...what was he doing with THAT! She felt the cold steel press against her abdomen and she jerked back.

"Hey, whoa, calm yourself down," Daryl soothed her with his voice, "Just trust me, 'k?"

The blade made quick work of her shirt, but Carol noticed with a small smile how he cut carefully along the seams so they could be resewn later. Luckily she wasn't wearing a bra or that would have gone right along with the shirt. She heard the knife go back into the sheath where it belonged and her skin started to pop up goosebumps from the cold, she felt her nipples harden and she waited on pins and needles for Daryl to notice this fact too. He did, he must have because his hands slid down her chest, but they didn't stop, didn't even linger, they just worked their way down to the button on her jeans, popping it open without so much as a word. She felt Daryl shift from behind her and her back felt like a bucket of ice water hit it from the lack of his warmth, he moved around to her front and she felt the familiar tug on her jeans as he pushed them down her hips and thighs, taking everything with them.

Carol blushed brightly as she felt the grass, dirt, sticks and leaves pressed into her now bare butt cheeks and she almost expressed how weird it felt when suddenly her mouth was covered in the wet warmth of his and all thoughts of ass sticks went flying out of her mind.

Sensory deprivation was offsetting and the inability to use her hands was maddening. She wanted to reach out and pull him closer so she could feel his strong body against her like she normally would, she wanted to grab onto that shaggy brown hair and pull it and twist it between her fingers, she wanted to see the fire in his eyes that she loved so much because his eyes alone could take her completely over the edge, she wanted to hold his face steady so she could gain the upper hand of this kiss...but she couldn't do anything except lean forward in an attempt to make contact with the rest of him as well as deepen the kiss. But he suddenly broke the kiss and leaned back, not touching her anywhere at all. The silence overwhelmed her and she had a crazy thought that he'd left her there naked in the woods!

"Daryl!" she called, nervously.

"Right here, Carol. Not goin' nowhere," came the soft reply, his drawl when he said the word "nowhere" sounded to Carol's ears like molasses dripping down a glass jar in winter, slow and tantalizingly sweet.

She heard fabric shifting and her ears were getting better at seeing for her and she knew he had stood up. The rest of the fabric shifting was from his discarding said fabric on the ground where she assumed her own clothes had ended up. She shivered...but it had nothing to do with the cold. Damn this blindfold! Damn that wrist tie!

The feeling of Daryl's returning to his previous place behind her made a jolt shoot through her unsuspecting body and the fact that all she felt was the wonderful familiar heat of skin against skin made his return even better. She felt his chest pressing into her shoulders as he leaned forward to press light kisses along her clavicles, she felt his knees digging lightly into her hips, she felt his rough, calloused hands slide ridiculously slow over her shoulders and down her front to hold her chest, and she felt burning hot hardness of him pressing into her lower back, every once in a while brushing over her hands if he moved just right. The next time that happened, she caught hold with her fingertips and was rewarded with a sharp hiss and a long exhale before he pulled his hips back and she lost her hold.

Fuck...this was torture. Did he have any idea how unfair this was...oh, wait, yes he did.

"Daryl, if I apologize for earlier can you please at least untie my hands?" she pleaded.

"Nope."

Carol wanted to scream at him but her lungs didn't seem to want to work except to let out moans and pleading whispers and whimpers. She just knew she would go crazy before he let her go. And to add to her belief that this was so, she felt his lips press lightly to the very base of her neck, his tongue flicked out and he ran it slowly, so exasperatingly slowly, down her spine the breath from his nose cooling the wet trail he was leaving.

"You're gonna drive me insane!" Carol gasped as he pressed a kiss in the middle of her back. She felt him smile against her skin but he made no sound, she couldn't even hear him breathing he was that silent. Carol felt her entire body shiver as the scruff on his chin scratched along her spine from neck to the small of her back and came to rest on the very top of her left buttock as his lips explored the hollow of her back. Then just like that, his lips, chin, tongue, nose, everything disappeared from her back, leaving an empty feeling where they had traveled. His hands had moved down to her stomach at some point, although she wasn't sure when and she felt them twitch before pulling her firmly into him from behind, every inch of him pressed into her back. She felt the brush of his chest hair tickling the skin of her shoulders and the tell-tale hardness in the small of her back again only this time he didn't pull away when she got a hold of him. She felt the warmth of his exhale on her shoulder and she gave him a squeeze as best she could with just her finger to work with, but she didn't hear him complaining.

"Daryl, have you had your sick fun yet?" she asked breathily, "I need you so badly right now. Please?"

But she felt that scratch of his facial hair on her skin once again when he shook his head. But he didn't move from his position either and she found her fingers were still holding onto him desperately. She ran her thumb down him as far as it would go and back up as far as it would go, even if that wasn't very far, but it still earned her a response in the form of an involuntary jerk.

"You know if you let my hands go, I can do this better," Carol offered hopefully.

"You know somethin'?" Daryl voice sounded a little bit strained, "Nope."

And once again he broke all contact except for his hands on the back of her head where she felt his fingers working at the blindfold knot. She felt a rush of excitement shoot through her as the cloth fell away and she blinked, trying to make her eyes adjust so she could look at him! And was he a sight for sore eyes! He was kneeling in front of her, mere inches separating their noses as he ran his hands slowly up her thighs, his eyes were locked on hers, dark and shadowed in the moonlight. She sucked in a sharp breath when his hands could go no further up, his palms so close to her center but just the tiniest centimeter from being there. Seeing seemed even harder than being blindfolded because she could now see just what it was she couldn't touch! Smooth muscles that were outlined in shadows from the angle of the light, pink scars looked black in the shades of the trees but they were still visible even now, hair that was just begging to be tousled, grabbed, yanked and twisted, lips just out of reach that she was longing to claim with her own, eyes that were burning into her soul from the intensity of his locked and serious gaze, and eight little semi circle just above his belly button and the tip of his very noticeable erection that were bleeding slightly...she wanted to fucking touch him!

"Daryl, come on, this isn't fucking funny anymore!" Carol snapped angrily, her frustration getting the better of her normally calm demeanor.

"Whoa, no cause for that kinda language, honey," the way he said 'honey' made her only made her more crazy for him. He'd never used any sort of pet name for her before.

"Untie me right now!" she screamed and Daryl's eyes widened in surprise before he clamped his hand back over her mouth and held his finger to his lips and shushed her. But then he leaned into her, pulling her onto his lap, as he worked at getting the knot holding her wrists together untied.

Finally, just when Carol was about to explode, he felt the binding drop for her wrists and the first place her hands went was his hair, gripping it firmly in her fists and pulling his face to hers as she kissed him roughly, tongue wasting no time in delving right into his mouth.

"Mmph, hey..." he tried to say something but she only tightened her grip and kissed harder, causing a whimper to rise from his throat.

"What?" she asked sharply, allowing him to get his breath.

"That really hurts," Daryl stated, twisting his head slightly as he tried to escape from her clutching fingers.

"Oh, sorry," Carol let his hair go and he sighed with relief. "Let me just...find something else to do with my hands."

And without any hesitation, she slipped her hand between them and grabbed him firmly, yet gently, watching the reaction on his face with a smile. His eyes closed slowly, but twitched from not being completely shut, his eyebrows scrunched slightly and he let out a little moan from back in his throat which only encouraged her. She thought back to earlier with the gun, and backed off him a little so she had room to work. She mirrored her moved from that morning, twisting her wrists like her jock boyfriend had taught her so many years ago...good to know the trick held true even now, and varying her strokes, pressures and speed. Before long, Daryl's breathing was becoming heavy and uneven as he fought to hold back.

"Don't get too worked up there, stud," Carol teased, meeting his eyes. "Let's make this last a little bit, huh?"

"Then you better stop," Daryl replied quietly.

So she did, reluctantly. But she didn't have much time for regret because she found herself on her back, nestled into freshly fallen leaves, twigs, dirt and all other manner of forest floor junk...but it didn't matter because it only reminded her more of him. It even smelled like him. Earthy and cool with a musky, heady tone to it...or maybe that was just because of him actually being there and nothing to do with the ground. She wasn't really sure. But what she did know was his tongue was working it's unbelievable magic on her sensitive neck, jaw and ears as his fingers took her favorite route into her hair which was now just long enough to get a grip on.

He entered her while at the same time giving her hair a firm tug at the base of her neck, and she let loose with a shocked "Oh my god!' mixed with a loud moan and she saw the cheeky smile that spread across his face at her outburst.

"You're usually pretty quiet," he noted, not moving so she could adjust for a moment.

"You're not," Carol pointed out.

She was right though, Daryl may have been the quietest thing on two legs when it came to hunting, speaking, and every thing else but he was quite a noisy lover. Carol's point was proved when he finally braced himself up and started rocking into her with a slow, steady rhythm, his entire chest rumbled with a deep moan at first and slowly became smaller, shorter sounds. Carol loved every little sound he made, but she thought her favorite might be the "Mmph" sound that snuck out when a moan and an exhale mixed with a thrust...it never failed to give her a little jolt of electricity where it mattered.

She was so caught up in listening to him that she forgot to do her part and she finally added her own movement and into the mix, meeting him halfway and causing an almost painful clash of their hipbones which were becoming more and more prominent as the hunting got scarcer. Their harsh connection of bones only seemed to fuel the fire and Carol soon found herself digging her fingers into his back to try and steady herself as he picked up the pace and the force, causing those little "mmph" noises to occur more often.

All too soon though, and it was just always too soon when you felt like you could do something for the rest of your life, she felt that now familiar warmth spread through her as he came undone above her, his little moaning sound becoming a full blown, ecstasy filled, relief-laden groan that faded into a long exhale before he released the tension of his clenched muscles.

But he didn't leave her stranded, not that she had much further to go, he always made sure he finished her off with a few well placed stroking curls of his fingers. It was a system that worked well for them if need be, but sometimes, most of the times actually, she was long gone before him, usually at least twice. But she hadn't been focusing tonight...too many distractions and things to focus on other than herself.

When she had finally rode out her spasming waves, they both lay there on the ground, looking up at the leafy shadows above them. But it was a different time than the past and there was no time to lie there like that in the open like this and Carol felt herself being lifted to her feet. Daryl slipped back into his jeans and pulled his shirt on, and Carol pulled on her panties and jeans. She eyed the cut shirt and shrugged as she began to head for the edge of the woods.

"Nuh uh," Daryl's hand closed on her upper arm, "You're gonna get pneumonia or somethin', c'mere."

And Carol found herself scooped up, bridal style and pressed into the warmth of his chest as he made his way toward their tent in the distance. Carol pressed her nose into the material of his shirt and sighed, the rocking motion of his walk put her to sleep before they reached their campsite.

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Daryl laid her carefully on the sleeping bag and pulled the blanket up to her chin, tucking it under her slightly to keep the chill out. He yawned widely but walked back outside to check for walkers around the invisible perimeter, making sure they could fall asleep and wake up alive the next morning. When he was satisfied, he went back inside, laid down his crossbow and knife, and then himself right next to Carol's slightly snoring form, pulling her close and sliding under the blanket with her. He could see his breath in the moonlight shining through the tent and he snuggled into her even more. The days were getting cooler and the nights were getting downright cold and he was thankful for his very own, soft, snoring space heater named Carol. She kept him warm...physically as well. Because the real warmth she gave him came from deep down inside.


	25. First Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Daryl takes Carol on their first date and asks a very important question.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tip Your Waitress: ko-fi.com/panjamysy  
> Tumblr: solar-pxwered.tumblr.com

It was the coldest morning so far and Carol pulled on her new coat that she had found on their trip to town, it was slate grey in a peacoat style and it had a waist tie that accentuated just how skinny she had actually become when she tightened it. With a sigh, Carol determined she should probably take Daryl's advice and start eating more before winter completely set in. He had been so adamant about it lately that he wouldn't even take his plate until she had finished hers, and he would sometimes give her some of his after that. That usually made her angry because he was getting thinner too, she could feel it when she ran her hands over his body at night, ribs were starting to show through and his hips were getting sharp, his collarbones were more prominent than ever...it worried Carol that he would completely forget about his needs for her sake.

Carol emerged from the tent and took a deep breath of chilly air, scanning the area for walkers as Daryl always did, it was amazing how much of his habits had begun rubbing off on her, she even found herself chewing her thumb lately whenever Shane and Rick and Daryl would get into a loud and angry discussion over whatever it was that they argued about. Daryl usually didn't get too involved, but he always seemed to be stuck in the middle of it anyway and that made Carol angry. She could plainly see how uncomfortable it made him, but he always stood up for Rick's side and Shane would shout some threats and give some dirty looks before stomping off...how long would it be until he didn't take any more of Rick and Daryl's alliance?

Speak of the devil...Shane came sauntering across the field towards her and gave her a grim smile. Carol crossed her arms over her chest in her old defensive stance, she didn't like being alone with Shane...he was a time bomb.

"Hey, Carol," Shane said curtly, giving her a nod.

"Hi, Shane, what brings you all the way out here?" she asked, trying not to show her nervousness.

"Rick sent me to tell you and your..."

"Daryl?" Carol cut him off hotly, not in the mood for Shane's comments.

"Yeah," Shane narrowed his eyes a little, "You and _Daryl_ that the Greenes have invited us to stay in the house through the winter. We're moving in today."

"Alright, I'll let him know," Carol was ready for Shane to leave. "He's not here right now, he's out hunting."

 _Shit, why did I just say that!_ Carol had a horrible feeling that Shane had it out for Daryl and what better way to get at him than through her? But Shane only nodded and started walking back towards the farm.

"G'mornin'," Daryl drawled in her ear not a few minutes after Shane disappeared into the farmhouse, having snuck up behind her yet again as silent as a shadow. Carol jumped and turned around with a flash of anger in her eyes that softened immediately.

"Daryl...seriously, you've got to stop doing that!" Carol lectured, but as much as it scared her every time, she secretly liked it. It always made her skin tingle from the thrill of his unexpected presence and his smooth whispered voice. "Or...at least maybe a little less..."

Daryl's grin was triumphant looking and Carol laughed slightly before she gave him a peck on his cheekbone.

"Shane was here earlier," Carol stated, watching for his reaction. Just like she thought, his eyes lost their amusement and turned to suspicion.

"What'd he want?" Daryl's tone was low and threatening.

"He told me to let you know that the Greenes have decided they want us all to stay inside their house for the winter," Carol reassured him, not wanting to start something between the two men again.

"Oh..." Daryl's anger faded but he looked a little disappointed. "So, you gonna move in?"

"You mean 'we'?" Carol didn't miss his meaning, he wasn't going to move in the house. Daryl was a creature of solitude and an overcrowded house was less desirable to him than facing the elements all winter.

"No, I mean you," Daryl stated simply, "I ain't livin' in that sardine can."

"Well then I guess I'm not either," Carol replied stubbornly. "I'm not worried about a little cold."

"Carol, I think you should..."

"Well, I think you should shut your mouth and accept the fact that I'd rather be slightly cold here with you than toasty warm and alone."

This was what she loved about Daryl, he was so easy going about things. He knew she wasn't going to back down and so he just raised his hands, palms forward in a gesture of acceptance and smiled slightly.

"Alright, calm down, I ain't gonna force you to do nothin'," he stated calmly, "But we're gonna have to do some preppin' before the snow starts fallin'."

Carol nodded in agreement and they headed to the house together to see what the plans for the day were.

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Daryl watched from the top of the RV as the camp started tearing down and moving inside the farmhouse. Lori was supervising, of course, he noticed with a small sneer, Carol and Sophia were organizing piles of stuff by owner, Andrea, T-Dog and Glenn were carrying anything they wouldn't need inside to the basement, things like the tents and their small collection of cooking utensils.

Daryl scanned the horizon and area for walkers before his attention went back to Carol and Sophia. They were sitting under the tree where the Grimes' tent use to be, sorting clothes and items that had been set out when the tents were moved. Sophia held up someone's lacy underwear and giggled, Carol burst into laughter and snatched it from her, tossing it towards one of the piles. Daryl felt the corners of his mouth twitch with amusement as he watched the mother and daughter pair somehow get enjoyment out of the most boring project.

Carol had told Sophia that she him weren't moving into the house for the winter and Sophia had asked if she could stay out with them. Daryl felt guilty about how quickly he had shot the idea down and the look Sophia had gotten when she had nodded her acceptance, and as he watched them now he felt like an intruder.

He knew what he needed to do, what he _wanted_ to do, but he couldn't wrap his mind around it. It was the most terrifying thing he'd ever been faced with and he was running through scenarios in his mind of how Carol might react.

"Dixon!" Andrea's shout cut his thoughts short and his head snapped towards her voice.

"What?" she shouted back across the yard to where she stood on the porch.

"Tell Carol she can bring in Glenn's pile," Andrea called back.

"Why can't ya' just tell 'er yerself?" Daryl snapped back, "Ya got loud enough pipes!"

Carol had heard Andrea's request and she was already walking to the house with Sophia, their arms full of Glenn's small pile of earthly possessions. As he watched them go, Daryl decided it was time to stop playing games and time to get serious.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------

By the time everyone was moved in and everything was ready, it was late afternoon and Carol finally managed to get some time to start organizing her own things, not that she had much. Leaving Sophia in the house felt all wrong to her, but she knew that their tent wasn't spacious enough for them all and she knew how uncomfortable Daryl would be if Sophia was there.

When she finally got all her belongings and winter clothes in a box, she headed towards their campsite.

"Is that all you've got?" Daryl commented when she set the box down by the old chimney that was the center piece of their little bit of property.

"Well...I didn't have a whole lot to begin with," Carol admitted, thinking back to how quickly Ed had demanded they leave and all the things she had left behind.

"I know that feeling," Daryl stated quietly.

Carol gave him a sympathetic smile and sat down next to him, placing her hand on his jean-clad knee, just out the necessity to touch him. Daryl was use to her hand placement now and he paid no mind and continued sharpening a stick into what she assumed was to be an arrow.

She sat with him for a long time, until the sun began to set, before she announced she had to go get Sophia settled in and he nodded in understanding. She wondered why he was being so quiet, but she figured he would tell her when he was ready. He always did.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Carol kissed Sophia goodnight and went downstairs where everyone else was gathered by the fireplace, chatting and drinking coffee that Beth had been so kind to make. Carol hesitated for a moment, feeling a little bit torn between her favorite beverage, friends and a hot fire and the man who waited for her back out in the cold night.

"Carol, I made some for you and Daryl," Beth said quietly, interrupting her thoughts. "I put it in this thermos so you can take some to him if he wants any."

Carol smiled gently and thankfully at Beth, people didn't usually think about the redneck on the edge of their perceptions. She was grateful that this young, innocent girl realized he existed.

"Thank you, Beth," she said kindly, taking the thermos of precious liquid. "I know for a fact he's gonna want to hug you he'll be so thankful."

Beth blushed but smiled and Carol bid them all goodnight. Andrea shook her head with a smile and gave her a wink before she left through the front door.

When she stepped outside, there he was. He was leaning against the bed of his beat up old two tone Ford, his arms crossed and head down slightly as he looked up at her from under his brow. She felt her heart jump at the sight of him looking so much like himself. He hadn't driven his truck since they left Atlanta, T-Dog had driven it while Daryl took the bike to scout ahead, but the truck was pure Daryl because it was HIS, not Merle's.

"Hop in," was all he said when she approached him. He placed a hand on her back and led her around the other side, opening the door for her before he got in on his own side. She watched every move he was making as he started the engine. She loved the rumble and feel of the motor as it came alive and she loved the way he only used one hand to maneuver the steering wheel, like it was an extension of his body.

Carol wasn't sure where he was taking her, but she didn't argue. She realized they were leaving the farm as he drove them down the driveway and out to the road. But soon enough he pulled off the road onto an overgrown dirt path that led them into a wide open field, round bales of hay surrounded them when he put the truck in park near what she figured was the center of the field.

"You gonna talk or somethin'? You're real quiet," Daryl asked her. She smiled at him and exited the truck, making him have to follow if he wanted an answer.

"Why did you bring me out here?" Carol asked, leaning on the truck bed, her chin resting on the cold metal. "You have a weird urge to have sex in a hayfield?"

Carol noticed his expression was a slightly pained wince, not the cocky smile she had expected and she suddenly felt that something was different. He chewed his thumb for a second before he walked around the truck to her. Carol waited for the inevitable heart stopping kiss he would surely smother her with...but he didn't make any move to touch her.

"Carol..." he started, and had to stop to clear his throat, "I've...got a reason for all this, but I can't tell ya yet. C'mere."

He went to the back of the truck and lowered the tailgate, Carol's eyes widened at what she saw when he did. There was a whole setup back there! Their sleeping bags and blankets were laid out, and Carol saw a box set up against the back of the cab.

"Aw, Daryl!" she squealed, turning to him and giving him a huge smile. "You're such a hick! I love it!"

Daryl gave her a grin, jumped up and held out a hand to pull her up. Carol took hold and gasped when he very nearly lifted her entire body up with one arm, the only help she gave was the jump off the ground at first. She gripped his arms when she felt the metal of the truck beneath her feet to steady herself, and she took the opportunity to take in the feeling of his muscles tight under her hands.

"Damn..." she let out a low whistle, "You're so strong..."

Daryl just scoffed at her and sat down on the makeshift bed, his eyes urging her to follow. She did, without hesitation. She straddled his hips as she pushed him slowly onto his back, her lips slowly connecting with his. But, to her surprise, he turned his head and gently pushed her off to the side.

"Daryl? Are you ok?" Carol asked, wondering why he was being so distant.

"Yeah. I'm fine, I just..." he hesitated, "I was thinking today that...I didn't do anything right with us."

"What? Daryl, yes you did," Carol assured him, placing her hand against his cheek in reassurance. He removed it, but kissed her wrist before he let it go.

"Naw," he replied quietly, "There's something I should have done a long time ago."

Before Carol could ask him what he meant, he leaned across her and lifted the box over her and sat up to dig through it. He pulled something out and laid it to the side, but it was too dark for Carol to see what it was. then he pulled her up to a sitting position.

"Daryl, I don't know what you're blaming yourself for but I don't have any problem with us..." Carol tried to reassure him, her heart was thumping wildly at the thought that this might possibly be his way of terminating their relationship.

But he didn't make any sign of acknowledgement as he sat in front of her, butt to heels, laying his crossbow to the side. His eyes stared directly into hers, filled with determination and she felt her heart squeeze and she started to cry.

"Hey, hey," Daryl's voice sounded slightly panicked as he took her face in his hands. "You need t' calm down for a second so I can say this, 'kay?"

Carol sucked in a deep breath, determined to be brave and nodded.

"Carol..." Daryl started slowly, as if he was searching for just the right thing to say, "Damn it, I had this whole big ass speech planned out but...I can't fuckin' think straight!"

Carol laughed slightly but she didn't feel any better about the whole thing.

"You know I ain't good at this, but...I wanna tell ya how I feel about you."

Carol finally raised her eyes and found he was looking at her with his eyes squinted in discomfort, but determination.

"Carol, fuck...you're the most amazin' woman I've ever met and I don't deserve nothin' from you! But, damn it, you wouldn't fuckin' give up on me no matter what the hell I did t' ya! And I don't deserve nothin' you've given me, but for some reason ya still keep givin'."

"Daryl..."

"Hush! Don't deny it, 'k? I DO NOT deserve you and that's just a fact and nothin' you say will ever convince me otherwise. But...for some reason you chose to let me have you anyway, in every way possible. Ya gave me your trust, your time, your love, your body...and I got so caught up in it all that I didn't think about what I was getting in to."

So there it was...he was feeling rushed. He was going to tell her to stay away from him.

"But I've had time to think about it lately," Daryl continued, "And...and I know what I want now."

Carol wanted to speak but nothing would come out of her dry mouth, but tears started falling from her eyes. Daryl shook his head and reached past her, pulling something out of the shadows. Carol was too scared to even wonder what it was...until she saw the glint on the moonlight and her breath caught in her throat.

"Carol, what I want is you. I want you to belong to no one but me and...I don't want to be anything but yours. I want you and I want Sophia. I want to protect you both and give you everything you both deserve that you never got before. I can't promise you _things_ but I can promise you I'll never do anything less than everything I can for you."

And Carol felt something small and cold press into her palm as his hands covered hers.

"Carol...would ya' fuckin' marry me already?"

Relief, disbelief, love, amazement...so much flooded over Carol at once that she felt like she was going crazy and his last statement caused her to burst into laughter. Somehow she managed to nod before she threw herself into his arms, sobbing into his shoulder.

"Yes!" she finally managed to say loudly. She felt his lips curl into a big smile against her neck.

He gently pushed her away after a moment and slipped the warm circle of cheap metal on her finger off and replaced it with the cold, light feeling new ring on in it's place. He eyed the gold band that Ed had begrudgingly given her on their wedding day with disgust and then locked eyes with her as he tossed it into the darkness of the hayfield.

Carol looked down at the ring and smile. It was thin and silver, a single, small jewel sparkled at the center. Simple...like her and like him.

"Are you gonna kiss me now?" she asked quietly, raising her eyes to his once more. She smiled and leaned in to claim her lips in a gentle, meaningful kiss. Carol laid down and pulled him with her as the kiss continued. He never got any more intense than that and Carol sighed when he broke the kiss and just looked down at her with a look of complete peace.

"But...I noticed the other day you were stargazin' out there in the field before I grabbed ya," he stated quietly, "So I figured I owed you a little."

And when he moved to lay down beside her, she gasped. The sky out here in this field was huge and not a cloud was in the sky, the stars were so bright that she could see the Milky Way stretched across the dark expanse. She felt his arm slip under her head and pull her to him and they laid under the stars for hours, sipping Beth's thermos of coffee, pointing out constellations and whispering to each other secrets about everyone in the group. Carol had never felt so at peace...so normal. It was their first date.


	26. Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Daryl and Carol create a family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tip Your Waitress: ko-fi.com/panjamysy  
> Tumblr: solar-pxwered.tumblr.com

Carol and Daryl spent most of the next morning setting up their camp for winter. Daryl swapped out their small, two person tent for the Grimes' larger one because he claimed they needed more space if Sophia was going to stay with them.

"You _want_ Sophia to stay with us?" Carol had asked in amazement.

"Family should stick together," he had replied simply. Carol felt her heart skip a beat at his words...they were a family now, and HE had been the one to say it first.

"Yeah, they should," Carol agreed, eyeing him with a soft gaze as he struggled to hold the line from the tent, the peg and the hammer all at once. Taking pity on his obvious lack of multitasking abilities, she knelt next to him and held the peg steady while he tied the rope to it. The smile he gave her made her heart flutter.

Soon enough the tent was up and secure and Carol insisted on organizing everything so Daryl just passed stuff into the tent while she fixed it up to her liking, shit, he didn't care as long as he could find stuff when he wanted it.

"There we are," Carol sighed, finally emerging from the tent, "Everything's set, now we just have to get Sophia and her things."

Daryl nodded and grabbed his crossbow, slinging it over his shoulder and walking towards the woods.

"Where do you think you're going?" Carol called after him. He turned around to face her but pointed over his shoulder at the woods, his tongue sticking out the side of his mouth slightly, meaning he was nervous and trying to seem nonchalant. Carol was beginning to read his little cues very easily, because the man couldn't hold still when he was nervous. He would wring his hands, rub his chin, mess with his hair, chew his fingers, lick his lips, look at anything but her, etc.

"Goin' huntin'," he said lamely.

"Oh no," Carol scolded, "Oh no, no, no. You are going to march your tight little ass over to that farmhouse and you're going to tell Sophia about us."

"What? Why me? She's your daughter!"

"She's yours too now, Daryl!"

"Not yet, she's not!"

"You wanna call it off?"

Daryl fell silent, his shoulders dropping slightly and he shook his head as his eyes dropped to the ground.

"It's just..." he hesitated, "I don't know how to tell her..."

"Daryl..." Carol approached him and placed her hands on his forearms and slid them down to hold both of his hands. "It's not easy being a parent, trust me. Sometimes we don't have the words to say but we try to make our point anyway. I believe you can do it and I want it to be you who tells her."

"What if...?" Daryl seemed to choke on his words.

"What?" Carol asked softly, squeezing his hands for reassurance.

"What if she...doesn't...approve?" his voice sounded so small.

"Daryl Dixon," Carol chided, looking him firmly in the eyes. "You're the bravest man I know. You're reckless and you're not scared of anything...but you're terrified of a little girl!"

Daryl squinted at her, a look of determination crossed his face and he pushed past her lightly, aiming towards the farmhouse. Carol followed behind him, giving him a smack on the left ass cheek on their way past the tent.

"Go get 'er, tiger."

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sophia was sitting on the porch steps with her bobcat which she had christened LuLu, tossing a homemade tug of war rope across the driveway for it to fetch. Daryl eyed the rapidly growing feline with caution and skirted slightly around her on his path to Sophia.

"Sophia," he called, waving her over to the center of the driveway where he and Carol stood. "C'mere for a minute."

Sophia looked surprised but she rose to her feet and made her way towards them, tossing the rope for LuLu off to the side to distract the cat for a bit.

"Did I do something wrong?" was the first thing she asked. She looked up at them with worried eyes.

"No, Sophia, but there's something you need to know," Carol helped Daryl out a little bit by getting the ball rolling.

Daryl nodded to her in thanks and bit his bottom lip for a second as he thought deeply, then he unslung his crossbow from his shoulder and knelt on one knee in front of Sophia, getting to her eye level. He laid the bow aside and slowly placed his hands on Sophia's upper arms, looking into her eyes.

"Sophia," he started, his voice was gentle and soft, it was a voice Carol had never heard him use before and she wondered...if he even knew he was capable of it. "Your mom and I...we want you to come stay with us at our campsite."

Sophia looked up at Carol who just nodded for her to pay attention to him. Her wide blue eyes went back to looking at Daryl with surprise.

"See...you're mom said this morning that families should stick together," Daryl continued, his nerves seemed to slowly be losing the battle against his will, "So I want us to stick together...as a family."

Comprehension slowly dawned on Sophia's face but Daryl wasn't quite done yet.

"Sophia, I love your mom like I ain't never loved nothin' or nobody," he stated seriously, "Now I ain't never been nobody's daddy or nobody's...well anythin', but I wanna be if you're ok with that?"

Sophia remained silent for a moment, her eyes searching Daryl's face for...well, Carol didn't know what, but she felt her breath catch in her throat from the fear that Sophia was going to bolt any second. "Daddy" wasn't a word she knew the real meaning of...as little as "husband" had meant to Carol. But suddenly Sophia squealed loudly and flung her arms around Daryl's neck and squeezed him with all the strength of her small arms, causing Daryl to flinch majorly but then he melted into laughter and grabbed her by the waist, spinning her around as he stood up. She wrapped her legs around his waist and clung on even though she knew she was too big to be held anymore and Daryl held her tight and winked over her shoulder at Carol.

"Alright, Sophia," Carol laughed, "Don't strangle him already, we aren't even married yet! I want to have him for a little while at least."

Sophia giggled and, before she slid down his leg to the ground, planted a firm kiss on his stubbled cheek and made a face.

"You're scratchy," she said, rubbing her lips with the back of her hand, "How do you kiss him, mom!"

Carol laughed and showed her exactly how she kissed him.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The scene on the driveway was not missed by the eyes inside. Andrea had been wiping the kitchen counter down when she looked out the window and saw Daryl talking to Sophia, and she had nearly knocked a glass off when he had twirled Sophia around like it was the most natural thing ever for him to do. She threw the towel down and made her way to the door, waiting for Carol to come inside.

Soon enough, Daryl left for the woods and Carol directed Sophia towards the house.

"Go get your stuff packed," Carol was saying as they came up on the porch, "I'll be there to help in a minute."

Sophia rushed by and Carol entered a few moments later, but she was grabbed and forced into the kitchen before she had the chance to resist.

"Spill it, Carol," Andrea stated with excitement, "What was that all about?"

Carol looked at Andrea with surprise at first and then smiled broadly.

"Well...it all started last night when..."

"Yeah, what DID he want last night?" Andrea interrupted, "He told me to make sure you came outside when everything was ready last night. Wouldn't tell me why though!"

"Well...he wanted to marry me," Carol replied, in the most nonchalant manner possible, leading Andrea on toward Crazytown.

"HE WHAT!" Andrea's squeal was nearly deafening. "OH MY GOSH! HE WANTS TO MARRY YOU! DARYL DIXON?"

"Shhh!" Carol clapped a hand over Andrea's mouth, "Don't tell the whole world yet!"

"Oh...right!" Andrea's level dropped immediately and she pulled up two chairs and sat facing Carol. "So...how did he do it? Was it sweet? Was it lame? Did he give you a ring?"

Carol held out her hand to show the little silver circle with the single blue stone in it, blue the color of Daryl's eyes and deep water. Andrea pulled it off and examined it.

"I know where he got this..." she mused, "Wal*Mart. He made me distract you with those winter clothes...so that's where he disappeared to."

"Wait...he's been planning this for that long?" Carol remembered the trip to town...it seemed so long ago now.

"Guess so," Andrea stated, giving the ring back, "It's a very good choice though...it suits you."

"I've always appreciated simple and sweet," Carol admitted, twisting the ring on her finger with a smile.

"Well then you've got the right guy," Andrea said with a wink, "So...tell me how he did it!"

So Carol spent the entire time Sophia packed telling her the story of how he had drove her out to the hayfield, the stargazing, every word of his confession of love to her since she had it memorized by heart, and even the awkwardly adorable way he had actually popped the question. Andrea was glowing by the end, her eyes far off and dreamy.

"Mmm, Carol, who would have thought he was capable of such...not himness?" she mused, smiling.

"I always knew he wasn't all he seemed," Carol stated with a soft smile of recollection, "He just needed someone who wouldn't run from his bullshit or judge him for his background. Andrea...you have no idea what he's been through...no idea what he's seen."

Andrea simply kept her smile plastered on, her eyes soft with sympathy.

"No, I don't," she admitted, "But you do and he trusts that knowledge with you...and that's all that matters. I'm so happy for you, Carol. When are you setting this in stone?"

Carol thought for a moment.

"Anytime, I suppose, but we haven't really set a day," she said thoughtfully, "Do you think...do we need a preacher these days?"

"No way," Andrea laughed, "These days...all you need is...mutual affection."

"I still want to make it official," Carol said, "Nothing big because I KNOW that would freak him out, but...just a small thing to make it legitimate."

"I hear ya, girl," Andrea nodded, "I bet Rick could do it, he was Law Enforcement."

"We'll see about it," Carol said distracted by Sophia's reappearance with her box packed with all her things. "I'll let you know as soon as I do."

Andrea watched out the window as the mother and daughter walked off to their new home...their new life was more like it.


	27. Ice Cold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Carol takes charge and tries something new

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tip Your Waitress: ko-fi.com/panjamysy  
> Tumblr: solar-pxwered.tumblr.com

When Carol had approached Rick about being their version of a Justice of the Peace he had been completely and utterly shocked.

"Carol...I think you should slow down a bit and talk to him about this," he said nervously, "Does he know you're planning this?"

Carol looked at Rick like he was crazy.

"Rick, _Daryl_ is the one who asked _me_ to marry _him_ ," she clarified.

"Really?"

"Yes, so can you do it?"

"Of course I can! Hey...congratulations," Rick smiled genuinely, "It's nice to know that at least some of us are getting along."

She felt bad for Rick, his best friend was always pissed at him and telling him he was a bad leader and his wife was always going from hot to cold and she had a feeling Rick knew that Lori and Shane had...bumped uglies a time or two.

"Thank you, Rick," she said softly, "Don't give up on Lori...she'll come around. For what it's worth...I think you've led us just fine and I can almost promise you Daryl agrees as well. I mean, he IS your wingman after all. Glenn admires you too, I can tell."

Rick nodded grimly, his eyes dropping. But he took a breath and smiled as his head raised again.

"Thanks, Carol, that means a lot to hear," he said quietly, nodding before he turned and went to do whatever it was that a leader felt he needed to do. She watched him go with a sad head tilt of sympathy but her musing was cut short by the feeling of breath on the back of her neck.

"Daryl...I can tell you're behind me," she stated. She heard his deep chuckle a second before his arms encircled her from behind.

"Well, is he up for it?" he asked, his lips brushing the top of her ear as he spoke.

"Yep," Carol replied, placing her hands over his which pressed into her stomach. "He was shocked though."

"I'm still a bit shocked m'self," Daryl admitted, "I ain't never been the type to take on anyone else. I'm so used t' just takin' care o' me."

"Well you're doing a good job," Carol assured him, "Keep it up and I'll never want anyone but you."

Daryl growled, pulling her closer.

"Ya better not want nobody else," he said teasingly, "I may have to put some arrows in a fella."

Carol pushed his hands away enough to turn and face him, his blue eyes were twinkling with good humor and his lips were pulled into a small half smile as he looked down at her. Carol reached up and ran her hand down his jaw, her fingertips twisting his rough chin hairs and her thumb traced his bottom lip.

"Why would I want anyone else but you?" she whispered softly, taking in every inch of his face and committing it to memory.

"I ain't nothin' special," Daryl reasoned, his eyes were beginning to get that heavy look of arousal but they still held a tiny bit of insecurity. Carol wondered how long it would take to make up for what his life had been before her, to heal the wounds he carried deep inside. "Just a Georgia hick from the hills."

"You're MY Georgia hick from the hills," Carol stated quietly, her eyes locking on his as she put on her best 'you listen to me right now' face, "And that makes you special. Daryl, what do I have to do to make you realize what you mean to me?"

"Maybe...meet me in the barn tonight after supper and show me?" Daryl whispered, his eyebrows wiggling suggestively.

Carol sighed and smacked him lightly on the chest.

"Do you think of _anything_ besides sex?" she scoffed with a smile.

"If it wasn't so fuckin' awesome with you then maybe I would have time to think o' somethin' else." Daryl countered, his hands slid lower and gripped her firmly on the butt.

"Stop that, there's kids around," Carol half-heartedly scolded his forwardness.

"We're just givin' 'em a good example t' follow," he reminded her.

"You two are just a fuckin' educational live action play, aren't you?" Andrea's voice cut into their teasing and Daryl immediately let go of Carol's ass and backed off, cheeks flaming with color under the tan skin and scruffy whiskers. Andrea grinned. "I'm glad someone's getting some around here. Glenn and Maggie don't count because they're always doing it."

Carol wasn't about to tell Andrea how often she and Daryl "got some".

After supper, which was now being held inside each night in the dining room, Carol slipped out of the kitchen and snuck out to the barn before Daryl could realize she was missing. She had to get there before him so she ran full force to the barn and climbed into the hayloft. She had something she had to keep him from seeing until she was ready.

No sooner had she succeeded in covering the evidence, Daryl swung his leg off the ladder and rolled into the hay. Carol giggled at his obvious rush to get to her. Sure enough, he grabbed the back of her neck as soon as he could reach and pulled her to him as he crawled to her like a dog with three legs.

"Come 'ere," he muttered as he tried to capture her lips with his, but she pulled away and slipped out of his grip. His eyes went wide and a little bit of hurt crossed his features. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Carol stated honestly, "Just slow down a little, ok?"

"But..."

"Shh!" Carol put a finger to his lip and grinned wickedly. "Just how badly do you want me right now?"

Daryl looked down at the obvious bulge beneath the fabric of his cargo pants and then back up at her, his eyebrow cocked as if to say 'See for yourself'.

"Do I _really_ have to tell ya'?" he asked with a half smile.

"Yes," Carol stated firmly.

Daryl nodded, his lips twisting in a funny little thoughtful way and he looked off to the side for a moment as he thought.

"Like...a heroine addict wants his next fix," he stated, "Trust me...that's a hell of a strong want."

Carol wondered just how often Daryl had witnessed this need when Merle couldn't afford the drugs and she brushed the lock of hair that hung into his eyes to the side and he caught her wrist and pressed his lips to the veins there, teeth gently grazing the paper thin skin there.

"Lay down," Carol whispered almost too quiet to hear, but his eyes looked up at her from her wrist and he smiled. He immediately scooted back onto the blanket and laid back, legs wide open and hands cupping the back of his head as he pulled it up to look at her as she straddle his hips.

"Cowgirl?" he asked, hopefully.

Carol couldn't help it, she let out a loud laugh and leaned her head down to his chest to kiss the scar there.

"Is that what you want?" she asked against his skin.

"I want you to pull off whatever evil plot you've got going on here," Daryl replied with amusement.

"What makes you think I have an evil plot?" Carol asked with surprise.

"Come on, Carol," Daryl rolled his eyes, "You've got that look on your face ya get whenever you're up t' somethin'."

"M'kay," Carol stated simply, not wanting to waste anymore time herself because the feeling of him growing steadily under her was about to drive her crazy. Reaching to the side, she pulled the little Tupperware bowl she had hidden there out from under the hay, Daryl looked at it with curiosity.

"What's that?" he asked, his eyes flicking back to meet hers and laughed at the little kid excitement she saw there, almost hidden by the dark desire that was taking over every part of him.

"You'll see soon enough," Carol stated. She had a plan and she was excited to see that, so far, he was completely in the dark as to what that might be. With a seductive smile, she trailed a few strong kisses down his torso all the way to his navel before pulling herself onto her knees and slipping her shirt over her head slowly and teasingly, watching Daryl's eyes get wider and wider with every inch.

"Holy shit..."

"Not done yet," Carol cut off his admiration. She unbuttoned her jeans and slid the zipper down tantalizingly slow and wiggled out of them, standing slowly as she did, her eyes locked on his. She saw his Adam's apple bob as he gulped when the jeans hit the floor and she stood before him. She had found the delights she now wore on the rack at Wal*Mart on their run and she had been waiting for just the right time to unveil them. Bright red, small and lacy, the bra and panty set had caught her eye then and were now catching Daryl's breath in his throat as he stared at her with jaw slack. "There, NOW feel free to say what you were going to say."

"Please come back down here and fuck me senseless," Daryl's voice was a pleading growl.

Carol smiled, but she returned to her place on his hips and he let out a loud groan as her weight pressed him down. She rolled her hips back once and his hands came up to grab her hips, his fingers dug into her flesh there and she yelped slightly. But he didn't seem to register that fact as his lips found the swell of her right breast and she tossed her head back as the familiar heat pooled in her lower body.

"Nuh uh," she finally managed to whisper, she grabbed him by the wrists and pinned them at the side of his head, causing him to take on a surprised and disappointed look, he gave her the puppy dog eyes he _knew_ made her stomach flip. "That look isn't gonna work this time, honey buns."

"Honey buns?" the corner of his mouth twitched in amusement, and she was surprised that he was laying so still.

"Hey, I had to put something mushy sounding in there," Carol shrugged. "Now...let's get something straight here, alright?"

Daryl nodded silently.

"I am in charge. I'm about to lay down some rules and you will follow them or you get nothing from me, got it?" Carol used her best in charge voice, and it felt weird in her throat because she had only ever used it on Sophia, and even that was a rare thing.

"Uh...yeah...got it," Daryl was looking at her as if he was seeing her for the first time, disbelief in every inch of his features. "Lay 'em on me."

"Rule number one: You will not touch me without my permission." Carol held up her pointer finger as the "one".

"Aw, come on..."

"Number two: You will not say a word from a certain point on until I say so."

"But..."

"I could add a third one if those aren't enough for you..."

"No! I...that's good enough!" Daryl sounded panicked. "But...I _want_ to touch you!"

Carol was loving this...something about the fact that he was willing to put up with her little game made her feel strong and she wasn't use to feeling strong.

"Starting now, both rules apply," she stated firmly and smiled when Daryl clamped his mouth shut. "However, you may remove the rest of my clothes."

Daryl didn't wait to be told twice, he sat bolt upright and his hands immediately cupped her breasts as his lips teased the skin showing above the bra she still wore. His thumbs slid under the lace and teased her nipples into hard peaks before he slid his hands behind her to unclasp the hooks holding the garment on. He growled with delight as it slipped off and his mouth had access to every inch of skin it had kept hidden from him and Carol gasped softly when he pulled her right nipple into his mouth, his tongue sliding across it like a warm snake on the sand. His hands, meanwhile slid down to her hips where they pushed at the lace there, moving it slowly down. She got onto her knees to allow the panties to slid off her and down her thighs before she rolled onto her left hip and he pulled them the rest of the way down her legs and off.

"Alright stop," she ordered when the red lace was completely gone from her body. Daryl didn't listen and his tongue continued to draw designs on her chest so she grabbed a handful of his hair and yanked it firmly, causing him to lean back. "I said stop."

"Didn't know if you were serious..." Daryl said sheepishly.

"Take your shirt off," Carol didn't waste time, showing him she damn well meant everything she'd said. He eyed her curiously but quickly pulled his shirt over his head and waited for her to tell him what to do next. "All of it. Off."

She unstraddled him as he wiggled his way out of his cargos, letting out a sigh of relief when he sprung free from the confines of them.

"Alright," Carol grinned, her teeth showing from behind her lips, "Lay back."

Daryl's groaned slightly but he followed directions and laid back, hands down at his sides. Carol reached over him, her chest purposely running over the tip of him as she did, and grabbed the bowl from his side. She popped the lid and then turned to face him.

"Close your eyes," she said softly, "Don't open them till I say so and remember, no talking."

Daryl closed his eyes gently at first and then she saw them tighten a little as he struggled with his curiosity. Carol smiled and pulled out her secret weapon...those little rectangles of frozen water. Half melted now, but still just as effective. Taking one between her thumb and two fingers, she held it up above his stomach and let it drip down from about two feet. When the first drip hit his skin he jumped, but Carol had to give him credit for keeping his eyes closed.

"What the...?"

"Hush! I said don't talk."

Daryl bit his bottom lip and fell silent. Carol moved the target lower and let the cold drop fall on his right hip resulting in another, more powerful jerk. Liking this reaction better, Carol changed strategy and pressed the cube to the skin there and drug a small trail along his hipbone, then she followed the path with her tongue, warming the trail back up. Daryl moaned softly and she decided to let his little sounds she loved so much slide and not count as talking.

She trailed another line down the side of his neck, her tongue following close behind, then across his chest where his heart would be, then down the underside of his forearm to the wrist, then a circle in the palm of his left hand, then finally down his midline from the hollow of his throat to the base of his cock.

"You can say something if you want," Carol offered, "One thing."

"Fuck..."

"That's seriously all you've got?" Carol laughed, pressing a kiss to his cheek. He nodded, his eyes still closed. "You can open your eyes now. But, you still can't touch or speak."

He nodded his agreement as his eyes fluttered open, she fluttered deep down inside right along with them. She smiled slightly at him before her hand slid down his stomach and took a hold of him firmly, her palm rubbed slowly up and down the stone solid, yet velvety soft length of him and listened as he bit back a groan. She pressed her palm even more firmly into him as she moved her hand down slowly and then back up just as painfully slow. He let out with a long "Mmmmmmm" noise in the back of his throat and she immediately released her hold, causing him to inhale sharply. 

"You're making an awful lot of noise," Carol commented, crossing her arms.

"I..." But he clamped his mouth shut as he remembered the rules and raised his hand like a fourth grader with the correct answer.

"Yes?"

"You said I couldn't talk," he defended himself, "You didn't say I couldn't make ANY noise!"

"True, true," Carol leaned forward and pressed her lips to his jaw and nipped trail up to his ear. "I guess you can make some noise...but not a lot."

"M'kay..."

"Now shush," Carol straddled him again, pressing into him firmly, loving the way he twitched under her from the pressure. He nodded.

Carol reached down and took him in hand once again, but this time she guided him blindly to her entrance as she slid onto him slowly. His eyes rolled back and he let out a long exhaled through pursed lips.

"Cowgirl, huh?" Carol mused as she rolled her hips back, taking him deeper. "What is it with men and this position? Tell me, no for real you can."

"Because," Daryl sounded relieved he got to explain, "It give us access to everything we need. I mean, we don't have t' focus on holding our weight up, yer chest's right there in front of us, your ass ain't pressed into the bed or...hay, and we love the way you look leanin' over us like this."

Carol giggled at his explanation and she bucked forward and back in a quick motion which made him jerk his hips up in response. Carol had to admit, she liked this position too. She had never tried this before, Ed would have beaten her within an inch of life if she ever tried to suggest something new in the bedroom department. Daryl had played along with her little teasing routine like a trooper and she suddenly found herself not playing anymore. She braced her weight on her hands and knees and began riding him harder, focusing no longer on making him want her more but instead on giving him what he needed.

"You can touch me as much as you want now," she breathed out as she took a small rest to get some strength back, this being on top thing was hard work! Immediately, Daryl's hands were in her hair, pulling her lips to his. He wasted no time in sweet kisses, but dove his tongue right in, twisting around hers and tracing behind her teeth firmly. She groaned into his mouth as he bucked into her, silently begging her to continue her movements.

"I'm too tired," she admitted sadly, wishing she could keep up the pace. Daryl wasn't deterred, he just flipped her over with a grunt, repositioning himself and her to where he was now in control. Carol let out a long sigh as his teeth began nipping along her collar bone. "Sorry."

"Don't you be fuckin' sorry, woman," Daryl mumbled into her skin, "You keep me on my toes like none other. Ain't walkers that make me the most nervous, it's you an' your dirty little mind!"

But he was done with talking for the moment and he began pumping in and out of her with a steady rhythm, not too fast as to feel desperate, but not slow enough to be described at romantic either. Forceful, but gentle. His hands found hers and he intertwined his fingers with hers, pushing them above her head and balancing on his elbows as he smoothly bucked his hips in time with hers, his forehead pressed into her shoulder. She felt his breathing starting to pick up and every once in a while it would hitch and she could tell he was getting close to going over the edge.

"Come on, girl," he growled as a particularly violent jerk shot through his frame, "Don't make me do this alone."

He raised his head and repositioned himself to where his face was exactly in line with hers, noses almost touching, his increasingly shaggy bangs hung down to his eyes which stared right into hers. It was his eyes that did it for her, that dilated cobalt gaze, looking black in the shadows of the barn, that heavy brow that always made him look a little bit angry or at least firm, the way they begged her to release with him, to give up everything to him. When those eyes locked onto hers, she had no choice but to do whatever he said at that moment.

"Just let go," he whispered, almost so quiet she didn't hear. But her body clearly got the message because when he pushed into her again she felt that familiar surge start to build fast and three more firm strokes had her mewling into his mouth as her inner muscles convulsed and her outer muscles jerked wildly, she vaguely felt the heat of his release inside her but she was still in the middle of the wave so she didn't dwell on it. Sighing, Daryl's firm kiss to cover her screams broke and he dropped his forehead to her chest, his nose rubbing against the inside of her breast, his breath tickled her skin.

When he caught his breath, he rolled to the side and pulled her into him from behind, pressing kisses to her back and whispering soft little things in her ears. Things like "I'm so fuckin' lucky" and "Don't deserve this" and "So damn perfect". Carol smiled.

"Daryl," she whispered, rolling over to look at him, all the lust was gone from his eyes now and she saw the calm, relieved, gentle gaze he always held there after one of their romps. She loved that look. "I love you."

"I love ya too," Daryl mumbled, his eyes starting to get droopy with sleepiness. "We have t' get back to the tent before I can't even make it. You better go get Sophia from the house."

Carol smiled and kissed his cheek before sitting up and pulling on her clothes again. She tossed his shirt and pants at him as she stood up and he slowly pulled them back on. He offered to take the blanket while she returned the bowl and got Sophia. He leaned down and kissed her temple before she climbed down the ladder and headed for the house to get the other member of this family.


	28. The Night Before The Big Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Carol has a makeshift Bachelorette party.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tip Your Waitress: ko-fi.com/panjamysy  
> Tumblr: solar-pxwered.tumblr.com

When Daryl woke up the next morning, before the sun was even peaking over the horizon, the first thing that came to his mind was that this was his final day as a single man. He felt a tight fear clutch his chest and he glanced over at Carol's sleeping form then over on his other side where Sophia lay, clutching onto Lulu's fur as she slept. He felt a warmth flood through him, but the tight feeling his chest remained and he sat up with a sigh, put his boots on and grabbed his crossbow and knife.

"Hey," he heard Carol's voice behind him just before he went to stand and he turned his head to look at her.

"What are you doing up?" he whispered back, not wanting to wake up Sophia. Lulu's ears pricked and she raised her head and cocked it.

"I wanted to tell you something before you left to hunt," she replied quietly. "I want you to do whatever you want today. Do you hear me?"

"I...guess?" Daryl was slightly confused.

"I mean it, Daryl," Carol said quietly. "I know what you're thinking about. I know the thought of tomorrow is scaring the hell out of you."

Daryl sighed and nodded slowly, not wanting to admit it but not willing to lie to her.

"I just...hope I can change," he admitted softly.

"Daryl, you don't have to change," Carol reached out and touched his face gently, "I don't want you to change a bit. But just hear me out...if you've got any thing you need to get out of your system, you do it today because tomorrow you're mine."

"What are you tryin' t' say?" Daryl furrowed his brow at her.

"I just don't want you to think I denied you anything once this is official," Carol stated softly.

Daryl leaned down and kissed her lips softly.

"Carol, you're fuckin' crazy," he whispered into her mouth, "You ain't gotta worry about me wantin' nobody else. But...this is your day too so make it count."

"I think you should have a bachelor party," Carol said with a smile.

"I'm goin' huntin," he replied, "Bein' on my own in the woods is all the bachelor time I need. See you later."

Daryl stood and exited the tent, Lulu followed on his heels.

"You're comin' too, huh?" he asked the bobcat as it rubbed against his leg, for some reason the thing had become fond of him the last few days. "Alright, but ya better pull your weight."

\---------------------------------------------------------------------

"CAROL!" Andrea came flying out of the farmhouse as Carol and Sophia walked across the driveway, she ran up to them and grabbed Carol by the wrists. "We're throwing you a bachelorette party!"

Carol laughed, considering what she had told Daryl earlier, she hadn't planned on anyone making a big deal out of it.

"Andrea, I'm not a bachelorette," Carol reminded her, "I'm a widow..."

"Pish posh!" Maggie's voice cut in, "Who says you can't still have a really nitty gritty party before you get hogtied to the next one?"

"Nitty gritty?" Carol asked nervously. "Girls, I don't..."

"Sophia, c'mon, let's get you some breakfast!" Maggie left Carol alone with Andrea as she and Sophia skipped to the house.

"Carol," Andrea whined, "Please let us give you a party! How dirty can we possibly get It's not like male strippers are available anymore...although Shane might..."

"NO!" Carol cut her off in horror, "No strippers!"

"Fine, no strippers," Andrea agreed, "But we're partyin' tonight!"

Carol groaned as Andrea pushed her towards the house.

The house belonged to the ladies. Andrea, Maggie and Lori had literally kicked all the guys out of the house and told them they'd be living in the barn that night while they had their grown-up slumber party. Beth had agreed to take care of Carl and Sophia and they were upstairs having their own slumber party, playing board games and card games.

The night had started out innocent enough, the ladies all got together and cooked a really simple, yet pretty good dinner and Maggie produced a bottle of wine from the basement...that was the downfall of their ladylike behavior.

They were now gathered in the living room in their pajamas and bare feet, the fireplace was blazing brightly enough that they had turned off the lights. They all had a glass of wine in their hands and they were at the stage of tipsiness when all you got a little dizzy and everything seemed ten times more funny.

"Wonder what the men are doing to your poor boy out there?" Lori wondered randomly.

"At least we don't have to worry about them going to strip clubs anymore," Patricia commented, taking another sip, "There's some perks to this end of the world thing. Andrea mentioned she thinks we could have gotten Shane to do a tease for you, Carol."

"I think we should get Daryl to do it," Andrea said wickedly, "I wouldn't mind getting an eyeful of that!"

Everyone looked at Andrea with surprise.

"Oh, come on, girls," Andrea rolled her eyes, "Don't tell me you wouldn't."

"Sorry, ladies," Carol spoke up, feeling emboldened from the wine and laid back atmosphere, "That man is for my eyes only. But...I will say you're missing out."

All eyes turned to Carol and grins spread across all faces.

"So give us the goods," Maggie leaned forward, her chin in her palm, twirling the wine in her glass. "Tell us about him."

"What about him?" Carol asked warily.

"Everything," Andrea encouraged, "We want to know every little detail. Every inch."

Carol blushed brightly and took a drink to give her some time to recollect herself.

"Um...I don't think he'd appreciate us discussing him like this," she stated nervously.

"Oh, poo," Patricia waved a hand, "I guarantee those boys are all out there discussing their past exploits, we have just as much right to discuss ours."

The room erupted with girlish giggles and Carol felt a little more emboldened.

"Ok, ok, I can see I'm not getting out of this with any dignity," Carol gave in, "What do you want to know?"

"Well the obvious question..." Lori offered for everyone else's curiosity.

"Seven inches at least," Andrea spoke up for Carol's sake. Everyone looked at her with surprise. "What? Carol told me this when they first got together!"

Carol had forgotten all about that, but she pointed her wine glass at Andrea and nodded, backing up her statement.

"Hmm, not bad at all," Lori stated simply, "Rick's about eight, I'd say."

"I won't even tell you about Shane," Andrea said with a laugh.

"Me either," Lori agreed. The laughter about that statement didn't stop for a good long time and Andrea actually fell off the arm of the couch and then the laughter about THAT lasted just as long. Carol's abs were aching and her lungs burnt as she sucked in much needed oxygen.

"Oh, god, girls, you're gonna kill me!" she gasped, refilling her wine glass.

"Alright, but what about the rest of him?" Maggie asked, leaning back in the large smooshy chair she occupied. "He never takes his shirt off when the other guys do. I mean, I know why..."

"He doesn't want people asking about the scars," Patricia agreed, she had helped patch Daryl up after he had found Sophia and she remembered how uncomfortable he had been with her seeing the marks all over his torso.

Everyone nodded solemnly, Carol's mind flooded with the stories her had told her about each and every one and she felt her heart squeeze as it always did when she thought of that night he had opened up his soul to her.

"He's beautiful," she found herself saying, not even realizing she said it until her mind returned to the present. She looked around at the interested faces that were watching her intently and she smiled. "Each and every scar, every little mark, it just makes him more attractive to me. Patricia, Maggie...you've seen them all, what did you think?"

"I felt...so awful for him," Maggie stated quietly. Patricia nodded.

"Well, I do too," Carol admitted, "But he doesn't want pity, he wants understanding and he told me about each and every one...and knowing what I know now, every single one of those scars shows me how strong he is. After everything he's been through, all the people who have hurt him...he's still capable of loving me with everything he has."

Every face in the room had that look a girl gets at the end of a romantic comedy or a Jane Austen book.

"That's so romantic..." Patricia sighed.

"Yeah it really is, but let's not get mushy!" Andrea sniffed, "Tell us what's under those sleeveless shirts! I mean, shit, his arms are freaking gorgeous!"

"Mmmhm," Lori mumbled into her glass as she took another sip.

"Well...he's got a farmer's tan, obviously," Carol brought the images of him on their many romps and ran through a mental inventory. "He's not buff and bulky like Shane, he's more hard work toned than anything. Don't get me wrong though, he's solid! But he's got...lean muscle."

"Is he furry?" Andrea teased.

"No," Carol laughed, "What the heck, Andrea? No, Lord no, he's got just enough actually. Let me tell you...that happy trail...mmm!"

Lori's eyes got wide and she nearly choked on her wine and started coughing and laughing at once. Once again, everyone busted into laughter.

"Is he a good kisser?" Maggie brought up the next question.

Carol let her eyes roll back in her head.

"Yeeesss!" she moaned dramatically, "Oh my god, yes. You know how people say you can "feel sparks" when someone kisses you? Well, Daryl's kisses are like sticking metal in an electric socket!"

"Yikes!" Lori said.

"The things that man can do with that tongue..."

"Eee! Carol!" Maggie squeezed her legs together, "I may have to go grab Glenn out of that barn after this..."

Carol was on a roll now, she had never had this spilling of all her thoughts session before her first wedding, there was nothing to spill. But she suddenly found her lower abdomen twisting with desire just _thinking_ about the things Daryl Dixon could do to her.

"That brings up my question," Andrea spoke up, "What's he like...? Does he have a technique? Favorite position?"

Carol's thoughts filled up with their many times together and she felt a shiver run down her spine as she pictured the way he looked at her, touched her, held her...

"Carol? Earth to Carol?" Maggie teased, snapping her out of her thoughts. Carol smiled and leaned forward, causing them all to follow suit and lean into the circle.

"He's...the best I've ever had," Carol said seriously, "His technique? I never know just what he's going to do, you know? One minute he's slow and easy and whispering sweet nothings, the next time I'm pushed up on a wall or a tree and he's as rough as he looks, growling threats and biting..."

"Good grief, has he ever hurt you!" Patricia asked with concern.

"No," Carol stated, it was kind of true because, yes, sometimes it hurt a little, but he never got rough with her without her permission, "I mean...sometimes I think he's going to but he doesn't...and if he does a little, well who the fuck cares!"

Everyone was wide eyed after her admission and Carol blushed, feeling a little bit dirty.

"So...what's that one thing about him that you just drives you crazy and makes you wanna jump his bones?" Andrea asked with a wink.

"His eyes," Carol answered without hesitation, "All he has to do is look at me and I'm completely his. Just one little glance can make me want to jump him right in the middle of everyone! I seriously think he must be some sort of incubus with eyes like those."

"He DOES have a really intense gaze..." Andrea agreed, remembering the time they had gone looking for Sophia and he had asked her if she wanted to live or not. She hadn't been able to lie when she looked back into his eyes. "It's like they can see right through you and read your mind."

Lori nodded in agreement.

"Damn, I'm gonna have to start looking at him closer," Maggie said, disappointed.

With that, they once again dissolved into laughter.

Midnight rolled around and Carol finally stood up and stretched, popping her back.

"Ladies, you'll excuse me if all this talk has gotten me hot and bothered," she stated with a wink, "I think I'll go find my fiance..."

"Nope!" Andrea grabbed her wrist and pulled her back into her chair. "Not happening, blushing bride!"

"What? Why not?" Carol asked indignantly, not happy with turn of events.

"Your wedding is tomorrow," Lori explained, "No sex until tomorrow night on your honeymoon. Trust me, it'll be even better if you wait."

"But..."

"No buts!" Maggie stated firmly, "We'll be keeping an eye on you to make sure you two don't sneak off for a quicky. The boys are watching him too."

Carol groaned and buried her forehead in her palms.

"I have an electric toothbrush if you need it," Andrea said with a wicked smile and a wink.

Carol groaned and silently wondered if that wasn't such a bad idea.


	29. The Big Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the wedding occurs!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tip Your Waitress: ko-fi.com/panjamysy  
> Tumblr: solar-pxwered.tumblr.com

The morning dawned crisp and clear, not a cloud in the sky, and Carol longed so much to be outside in the cool sunshine, but she was confined to the house with Beth and Maggie while Dale and Shane kept Daryl penned up in the stables. Everyone else was outside setting up seats and making an "aisle" from the driveway to the trees where their tents use to be with stones.

"Carol, come here, I found it!" Patricia called excitedly. Carol stopped looking out the window and went upstairs to one of the bedroom where Patricia had opened a trunk and emptied it's contents on the floor. She was standing there with a dress bag in her hands.

Carol slowly took the dress bag from her when she offered it and pulled it off. She wanted to cry when she saw the simple, yet beautiful wedding dress beneath the plastic. It was smooth satiny material with no flashy ties or bows, just pretty lacework on the chest and the straps on either shoulder. It didn't have a train, Carol was glad to see, trains just got in the way.

"Oh, Patricia, it's beautiful..."

"I wore that for my first wedding before I married Otis," Patricia said, "I was young...it didn't work out between us. So I want you to have it and put it to use for something worthwhile."

Carol felt tears stinging her eyes and she hugged Patricia firmly before going to try it on.

The dress was a perfect fit and Carol twirled around, feeling like a princess from the fairytale books she would read to Sophia before bedtime when she was little. Something about wearing a dress makes a woman feel special and this was no exception.

"Stop your twirling, Carol!" Andrea laughed from the doorway where she was leaning, "You've got to take a bath, get your hair and makeup done...come on, get out of that and into the tub!"

Trying on the dress had sparked something in Carol and she found herself eager to let the girls take over making her beautiful. She washed her hair and body in the shower, but then filled the tub up and poured the bath salts Maggie had insisted she use into the water. The crystals made an oily feel to the water and the smell of vanilla filled the air and covered her skin as she laid back and let it soak in.

"You almost done in there?" she heard Beth's excited voice call from the other side of the door, "I'm doing your hair!"

"Yeah, just give me a few minutes to dry off," Carol called back, almost sad to be getting out of the now lukewarm water. She looked at the watch she had set on the back of the toilet and realized she'd been soaking for a good forty five minutes! She stood up and let the water drip off for a minute before stepping out and grabbing her towel.

She finally emerged from the bathroom wrapped in the towel and Beth took a long whiff of her.

"Mmm, you smell amazing!" she said, before grabbing Carol's hand and dragging her back downstairs to the kitchen where a huge pile of hair clips and jewelry and makeup was lying on the table. She was led to a chair and sat down in it to wait for the girls to do their thing.

Beth tugged back pieces of her hair and clipped, then unclipped and reclipped for a good hour before she stepped back and nodded with a smile. She wouldn't let Carol see yet, not until Maggie got her makeup on. Carol felt like a lab rat with all the prodding and poking Maggie was doing to her face but she had confidence that she knew what she was doing and Lori was offering tips on eyeliner and how to get the eye color to blend so two people working on her makeup should have it covered.

Finally, Maggie pulled back, looked her over and nodded with a smile.

"Beautiful!" she exclaimed, "Girls come here and look at this!"

All the ladies came back in the kitchen and oohed and aahed over her before they all dragged her upstairs again to get her in the dress. Only once she was zipped up and comfy in the dress did they let her look in the mirror.

Carol gasped at her reflection and almost started crying again. She couldn't remember the last time she looked like this, like a real woman. She swished the dress around and smiled at herself through lips red as sin from the lipstick Maggie had chosen, her eyes were shaded on the top with tones of copper that made her light green eyes look big and bright. She batted her eyelashes that were curled upwards and black as night from the mascara and grinned when she imagined how Daryl would react to this drastic change in appearance. All she had ever been when he had seen her was the beaten down ragdoll of a woman that her past had made her, and he had loved her anyway...she would finally be able to show him who she really was.

"You guys..." she said softly, "You do a fantastic job!"

"Jewelry!" Andrea squealed as she ran out of the room. She returned seconds later with her hands full of gold and silver and jewels and placed them on the bed where they started digging through and holding it up to Carol's neck, wrists, ears and chest. Lori found a necklace that was a simple thin gold chain with a loop of gold that hung down beneath her clavicle line with a false diamond dangling within. Carol ran her fingers down it and smiled when Andrea handed her the earrings to match. The set was completed by a simple gold chain bracelet that Beth placed on her left wrist.

Just as they went to take her back to the kitchen to put the finishing touches on her hair, Rick came in the room looking flustered and annoyed.

"Carol," he said sharply, "I need you to send a message back with me for Daryl."

"Um...what do you want me to say?" Carol asked nervously.

"Tell him to stop being an asshole about getting cleaned up," Rick replied with a slight whine, "He won't even put on the clothes you picked out, Andrea!"

Carol looked at Andrea in surprise, but the blonde simply looked away.

"Ok, tell him I said he better do whatever you guys ask him to do because I'm in here getting pawed over by every female on this farm and if I have to, he has to." Carol offered her message to Rick who nodded and left to relay it.

"We better get Carol locked away before they drag Dixon into the shower," Lori said, shutting the door behind Rick, "It's bad luck to see the bride ahead of time!"

So Carol spent the next hour and a half locked away while Beth finished her hair and makeup, listening to the sound of the shower next door, Daryl's growling voice from the hall when he came out, and the sound of the boys tromping around getting him ready...she wanted more than anything to just run out of this room and find him at the sound of Daryl's griping.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Carol was a bundle of nerves as she stood behind the closed door that would open at any moment to her brand new future and she stepped nervously from foot to foot in her white heels. Sophia stood in front of her with a basket of fake flower petals and she was smiling up at her.

"Mom," she said softly, "You look so beautiful! Dad's going to go crazy when he sees you."

Dad? When had Sophia started calling him that? Carol smiled down at her daughter and laughed happily.

"You look lovely too, Sophia," she commented. Sophia was wearing one of Beth's old Sunday dresses and Sophia had squealed with delight when told she could have it. "Dad's going to be mighty surprised at us, isn't he?"

Sophia nodded excitedly and Carol fiddled with the fake daisies Beth had clipped in her hair. Then she heard footsteps on the porch and her heart leapt into her throat, making her gasp audibly.

"You ready for this?" she heard Andrea's voice from the other side of the door, "You're not going to believe your eyes!"

"Yes, I'm more ready than you can imagine!" Carol replied through the wood. It pushed open and Carol took a deep breath as she stepped out onto the porch. She didn't know how, but they had managed to set up a tent which was completely closed on the side she was approaching from and Andrea made her stop outside of it and then disappeared between the flaps. Carol heard her make the announcement that "the bride is here" and the flaps were slowly pulled apart by Shane and Glenn and she took a deep breath as she followed Sophia's trail of daisy petals into the tent.

If Carol thought her breath had been caught when Andrea had spoken through the door, it was nothing compared to the level of breathlessness she felt when she spotted Daryl at the other side of the tent. That couldn't possibly be the same man. He was standing there with his hands clasped in front of him, back straight and tall, wearing a full suit. Black shoes, pants, jacket with a white button up shirt and even a black tie to match. He was clean and not a speck of dirt was on his face or hands and his hair was tamed down instead of wildly sticking every which way. But the look on his face was what nearly did Carol in. He turned to look at her as she walked in and his face immediately took on a look of absolute admiration, in fact Carol would almost say he was 'glowing' if she knew he wouldn't kill her for it. The surprise wore off his face and was replaced with a tenderness she had never witness on him before and she felt tears stinging her eyes as she came to stand in front of him, her eyes never leaving his as Rick stepped forward to say the words and Daryl reached out and took her hands gently, his gaze never shifting from hers.

"In the times we live in now, moments like this are too far and few between," Rick's voice reached Carol's ears, "So we are truly blessed to be a part of this day. Our good friends, who are like family to us all, have grown close over this period of time when survival is the main thing on everyone's minds and we're all glad to see that there IS still room in this world for life to continue."

Carol nodded in agreement with Rick's speech and she gulped her nervousness down her tight throat. Daryl gave her a twitch of a smile.

"Since this world is not going according to law or tradition anymore, I'm going to ask that the two of you make your vows in whichever way you want," Rick continued, "Daryl...you first. Carol, you'll follow then I will make it official. Please refrain from kissing until I give you the go ahead."

Carol giggled and Daryl rolled his eyes but he cleared his throat and shifted his weight nervously as he gathered his thoughts.

"Carol," he began softly, nervously. Carol squeezed his hands to encourage him "I...I ain't got much t' offer ya and I never will, but there are some things that I can promise ya."

Carol waited for him to continue and he took a deep breath before he did.

"I promise that I'll love ya no matter what. I can promise ya that I'll be strong for ya when ya can't take another day and I'll never let ya give up. I promise I'll protect ya from the world around us to the best of my ability. I promise I'll treat ya with nothin' but respect and give ya my very best every single day."

Carol felt her smile widening at every single word.

"I know we ain't perfect and we ain't never gonna be," Daryl continued, his voice had leveled out and she knew he had blocked out the rest of the people in the tent with them, "But even when I'm unreasonable or rude or stupid...know that I'll NEVER love you less."

Carol heard a few sniffs from the crowd beside them but she ignored it as she organized the words she wanted to reply with.

"Daryl," she started, her voice quivered with the unshed tears and the tightness of her throat, "I have nothing to offer you either...except for me. I want to give you the love and respect and honor you deserve and I want to be your partner through everything that comes our way. I want to give you my full trust, my full heart and everything else that I possibly can. You're the hero I've dreamed of since I was six years old reading fairy tales and there's nothing I wouldn't do for you. I love you, Daryl Dixon, and I'm more than ready to give my life to you."

"Since we have witnessed today that these two have vowed themselves to each other," Rick stated after a moment of silence, "We will now witness their acceptance of each other. Daryl, do you take Carol to be your wife, your partner, your help and your future?"

"Yeah, I do," Daryl replied with a crooked grin. Carol's heart did a happy flip.

"And, Carol, do you take Daryl to be your husband, your partner, your help and your future?"

"I do...I very much do!" Carol couldn't help but over emphasize the point and Daryl's grin turned into a full smile.

"Well, then by the power vested in me by the end of the world as we know it, I say you're hitched. Ya'll go on and seal this deal with a kiss!" Rick's proper attitude went out the window and agreements rose from the crowd.

Carol blushed slightly but she felt Daryl's finger under her chin, tilting her up to meet him halfway as he leaned forward slightly, she kept her eyes open until the last second when their lips met, slowly and gently at first until Daryl's arms were suddenly around her and she found herself being spun around, when she landed back on her feet their kiss had intensified and she felt his tongue slip in just before he pulled back and broke the kiss. Carol knew it had been a promise of things to come. Hoots and wolf whistles and cheers broke out from the crowd the whole time.

"Alright! Let's eat!" Carol shouted when they had settled, and the cheers started back up again as they all headed toward the house, bride, groom and flower girl following a ways behind.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------

The "reception" went on for hours and Carol was getting antsy from all the looks Daryl was giving her from across the room. The Greenes pulled out an old wind up record player and they had even had a dance that consisted of old gospel music, big band, Frank Sinatra and Irish folk songs. Carol discovered something about her husband...he could actually dance! Somehow this only made the wait until the night even harder!

Finally, people started throwing them knowing looks and Beth, Carl and Sophia were sent to bed as the party started winding down.

"You know, I read a book once where at wedding ceremonies the single members of the opposite sex undressed the couple and then threw them together in a room," Andrea offered.

"Perfectly capable of undressing him myself, Andrea," Carol shot back, causing Daryl to blush and look at her with disbelief. "And I'm sure he wants the honor of taking off this dress himself."

"Right," Daryl's voice was gruff in her ear a second before she felt her feet leave the floor as she was scooped up in his arms. All eyes turned to them as Daryl backed out of the living room towards the front door.

"It's cold out there, you two," Herschel said with concern, "You an stay in here."

"We'll be plenty warm, Herschel, but thanks anyway," Carol said, wrapping her arms around Daryl's neck and resting her forehead on his as she looked him the eyes, silently begging him to get them out of there faster.

The living room filled with laughter and wolf whistles again but they were muffled and cut off when the door shut behind them. Daryl set her on her feet and took her hand, pulling her along as they crossed the farm heading to their tent.

Carol was glad they had upgraded tents and that it was lined with blankets to keep out the cold and wind...and kept sounds inside as well. This tent was big enough to stand in and that came in handy when they were finally inside. Daryl immediately pulled her into a kiss as his hands slid up and down her bare arms, then his lips and tongue explored every inch of her neck as he unzipped the back of the dress. Carol let it fall but then pulled away.

"I have to keep this nice," she stated, picking it up and laying it gently on Sophia's sleeping area so it wasn't on the ground. "You should too."

"I ain't never gonna wear this thing again," Daryl stated firmly, "But yeah...I guess..."

Carol had a blast removing his clothing piece by piece. She slowly undid the tie, her eyes locked on his, making all kinds of dirty promises, then she slid the jacket down his shoulders and laid both pieces on top of her dress. Then she slowly unbuttoned the shirt and kissed her way down his front as she undid each one, then tossed it on the pile as well. She stepped back to enjoy the view of his now shirtless form and smiled.

"Alright, I've been waitin' two days for this," Daryl muttered, his hands unbuttoned his pants and Carol grabbed his hands to stop him.

"I've got this," she said with a wink, and she unzipped them and took a hold at the hips while she slid her body and the material down his legs, her lips pressed to his thigh as she did.

"Damn..." Daryl sighed heavily when she stood back up. His eyes flicked over her form and his hands immediately went to her back to undo her bra which fell to the ground seconds later. He bent his head and shoulders to kiss and lick and nip at the tender flesh he had just revealed and Carol let her head drop back and her fingers twisted in his hair, messing it up and making him look so much more like himself.

He leaned back and scanned her face with his steadily darkening blue eyes and grinned as he started removing hair clips and daisies from her hair. When they were all out, he ruffled her short hair playfully.

"Gettin' shaggy there, princess," he commented, "I like it, gives me something to hold onto so I can do this."

And he threaded his fingers quickly into her hair and pulled her head back quickly, but carefully, his mouth hungrily attacking the front of her throat. Carol gasped slightly but then let out a little laugh as his tongue slid across the little bobbing bump of her Adam's apple...if girls could use that term. He murmured into her throat that she smelled amazing and Carol got a whiff of the vanilla bath salts and grinned, wanting to thank Maggie right now.

"Daryl," she whispered gruffly, heat was building in her thighs and other obvious areas, "Enough of your teasing, put that tongue to better use!"

Daryl pulled back, tip of his tongue still poking out between his lips. She pressed a kiss to it and he pulled it back in with a grin.

"Trust me, I will," he said, his voice was deep and calm, tinged with that sort of gruffness that only comes with heavy arousal, and Carol felt a wetness between her thighs and she groaned with anticipation. "But don't rush, darlin', we're gonna do this right and proper."

"Right an proper?" Carol asked with disbelief.

"Of course," Daryl said quietly, meeting her glare with a calm look. "After all, it's your wedding night."


	30. Why Is It Always Them?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Carol and Maggie wonder why it's always Glenn and Daryl having to go on dangerous runs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tip Your Waitress: ko-fi.com/panjamysy  
> Tumblr: solar-pxwered.tumblr.com

Carol's eyes fluttered open and she sighed as she snuggled backwards into the warmth of Daryl's chest against her shoulders, she was still wrapped in his arms, his right leg thrown over hers. She closed her eyes again with a happy smile as the previous day and night flooded over her brain. In her mind's eye she could still see the look on his face when she stepped into that tent in her wedding dress, his blue eyes locked on her with amazement and she remembered how good he'd looked standing there all cleaned up, waiting for her to reach him. She bit her bottom lip at the image of him on his knees, her left leg draped over his shoulder, his lust darkened eyes looking up at her as he made good on his promise to put his tongue to good use. She let out a little sigh as she thought of the way their lips touched, but didn't connect, as he moved over her, their breathing rapid and gasping as they neared the edge of sanity.

Carol let out a little moan and squeezed her legs together and she decided it was probably way past time to greet the world. But as she went to move, Daryl's arms tightened around her, pulling her back and she felt a tell-tale hardness at the small of her back.

"Are you kidding me?" Carol looked over her shoulder and Daryl met her look with a smug grin.

"Just one of those things the morning brings," he mumbled into her neck.

"You're a poet now?" Carol giggled, allowing herself to be pulled back into the tight cuddle.

" 'Course," Daryl purred in her ear, "Last night was poetry in motion, don't you think?"

Carol had to admit he was right and she wiggled until she was turned around to face him. She stared into his eyes as her finger traced every angle of his face. She kissed the beauty mark above the right corner of his lips, she loved it. She also loved his nose, it was small and softly rounded unlike the rest of his features which were sharp and strong.

"Why'r ya rubbin' my nose, woman?" Daryl's amused voice shattered her thoughts and she dropped her hand.

"I was just...I like it," she said lamely.

Daryl's eyebrows scrunched in confused amusement.

"T' each their own, I guess," he mumbled, moving to nibble below her ear. She sucked in a sharp little gasp when she felt him suck the skin of her neck into his mouth and then let it slowly drag back out between his teeth, hard enough to hurt just the tiniest bit.

"We should get up..." Carol sighed heavily, not wanting to move.

"Naw," Daryl drawled quietly, his teeth scraping her earlobe. "We shouldn't."

"Ugh, Daryl, you've got to stop doing this to me," Carol moaned, tilting her chin back to give him access to her throat.

"I don't see that happening anytime soon, darlin'," Daryl chuckled, but she felt his arms loosen around her and she wiggled out.

"C'mon," she laughed, giving him a light kick to the side. "I'm sure there's work to be done."

"Fuck that," Daryl growled, "I'm going huntin'."

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Daryl stalked through the trees on the trail of a deer he'd shot, the small trail didn't escape his trained eyes and he could tell the deer wouldn't get far with a lung shot, the bubbles in the blood told him that's where he'd struck her. He felt guilty, he didn't like his quarry to suffer, but he couldn't justify using a gun and risking any walkers hearing.

The deer hadn't gone far at all, he found it behind a fallen tree, it's legs tucked underneath it as it lay there, a wheezing sound issued from it's nose due to it's punctured lung. It looked up at him with wide, frightened eyes as he walked up to it slowly and tried to stand. But Daryl pulled his buck knife and slit her throat quickly, painlessly and she suffered no more.

Daryl sighed heavily, looking down at the blood that had gushed out onto his jeans. Damn...oh well. He looked down at the good sized deer and then judged how far it was back to the farm and scratched his head thoughtfully. It was going to be a long haul, but he blew out a long breath between pursed lips before leaning down to heft it over his shoulders.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Carol heard the discussion from where she was wringing out and hanging up the day's laundry, Rick and Lori were having a low toned, quiet snapping match and it was, yet again, about Lori's concern with Rick taking a raiding party out to gather more supplies for winter. Carol sighed to herself, she understood Lori's fear, but her reasoning was stale and they'd all heard it a thousand times before and it always ended the same way: Rick never stayed, Lori never forgave him for it.

"DARYL'S BACK!" T-Dog's voice called over the yard from his spot on the RV, "Looks like he could use a few hands too."

Rick, glad to have an excuse to postpone the argument, called to Shane and the two of them sauntered off to help Daryl with his catch. Carol didn't know why the hell she was doing it, but she sidled up to Lori and placed a comforting hand on her back.

"Where are they making the run to?" she asked quietly.

"Same town you guys did," Lori responded, her tone was cold.

"We only saw four walkers on our trip, Lori," Carol stated, "Rick will be fine, he always comes back to you."

"There's always a first time, Carol," Lori replied, her voice slightly choked. "I just get so scared that this time will be it."

Carol nodded in understanding.

"I know how you feel, Lori, I really do," she whispered as she watched the three men approaching with the large doe Daryl had bagged. 

"You don't know the half of it," Lori snapped, pulling away from Carol's hand on her back. She turned around and stomped back to the house, leaving Carol in shocked silence.

"Hey, wife, c'mere and give your man a hug!" Daryl came trotting up to her, arms spread wide with a huge grin on his face, his shirt was drenched in red, sticky blood and so were his arms and hands. Carol squealed and ran away as fast as she could and Daryl just laughed and waved at her dismissively. "Where's the love for the hunter!"

"I love you just fine," Carol clarified, "But I think I'll admire you from a distance this time."

Daryl dropped his arms to his side and took on the sad "kicked puppy" look that made Carol feel horrible for him every single time.

"Don't, Daryl, go cut up your deer!" Carol squeezed her eyes shut and returned to her laundry. Daryl gave her a twitch of a smile before he went to help hang up the deer.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When Carol and Maggie remerged from the house after carrying the last bowl of meat into the basement where the gas powered generator run deep freeze was, they came upon an uncomfortably familiar scene. Rick, Daryl, Glenn and Andrea were leaning onto the hood of Carol's old Cherokee, eyeing the map spread on it with calculating expressions. Rick was speaking and Andrea was nodding absentmindedly as she traced something on the map with her finger, Glenn was eyeing the line she traced with a frown and Daryl just leaned there, looking bored. Carol just almost hear the voice in his mind screaming _"Let's get the fuck going, already!"_

She hated this...she hated watching them plan, knowing they were headed right into danger . Maggie squeezed her arm tightly.

"Why does Glenn always have to be the "In and Out" guy?" she whispered, her voice full of concern, "Can't they take Shane instead?"

Carol agreed with that, why couldn't Shane take the place of someone who actually had a family or someone who would be devastated should they not return? She shook her head, ridding that thought from her mind. Rick knew who had the skills to do what, Shane would be a liability in town because of the way his short temper had been exploding lately. Daryl and Glenn were excellent choices for a mission requiring stealth and secrecy.

"He's the best, Mags," she tried to reason, "He and Daryl can sneak into anyplace and that's a valuable skill to have on a trip to town."

Maggie nodded miserably.

"Why couldn't we end up with men who have no talent, Carol?" she asked.

"I think I'll stick with what I've got, thank you," Carol chuckled, "And I know you'd never change your mind either."

Maggie smiled and they stood up straight and confident as they approached the rest of the group.

Carol watched as the boys and Andrea loaded up the Cherokee with their weapons, waiting for the inevitable goodbye she would soon have to give. Sophia was giving hers now, and Carol smiled when Daryl knelt down to wrap their...oh goodness, _their_...daughter in a tight hug and whisper something in her ear. Sophia nodded, with glance in Carol's direction, and then slowly returned to the house to find Carl who had run in there after he'd said goodbye to Rick.

"We ready to go, Rick?" Andrea asked as she shut the back of the vehicle.

"Yeah, I just need to go make sure Carl's ok and grab my coat from our room," Rick replied, "I'll be back in a minute."

Carol sighed, knowing it was time to say the difficult goodbye, and walked slowly to where Daryl was leaning against the chicken house watching the others bid their farewells. He watched her approached with a blank look and she opened her mouth to ask him what was wrong, but the words never got out. With a quick side glance at the group to check for curious eyes, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her around to the back of the chicken house.

"Daryl, wha...mmph!" Carol's breath was knocked out of her lungs slightly as she felt her back connect solidly with the boards of the chicken house wall, Daryl's mouth cut off her words and his hands wasted no time in getting her jeans undone, down and off before they gripped her under the thighs and lifted her up, pushing his pelvis into hers to hold her up as he pulled her ankles behind his back to give her some ability to steady herself. He backed off just enough to reach between them and undo his jeans, not even bothering to push them down at all before he pushed into her in one quick jerk of the hips.

A quickie. That's the term that popped into Carol's mind, this was the kind of thing drunk girls got themselves into after drinking too much whiskey at the local bar. Yet, somehow, it didn't bother her. This was simply Daryl's way of making that awkward goodbye much, much better.

Carol rocked with his furious rhythm as well as she could but she had never seen him so out of control, yet cold and collected. Harder and faster than ever before, yet not a speck of nervousness or uncertainty showed in his eyes as he stared into hers, making each thrust of his hips all the more effective in Carol's mind. But it was over very quickly and he let her drop back to her feet and backed away, zipping back up. He grabbed his crossbow and waited till she pulled her jeans back on before placing his arm around her shoulder and walking back around the chicken house together.

If anyone was wise to their escapade, no one even looked slightly mischievous, and Rick emerged from the house just as they reached the group. Andrea slipped into the back passenger side seat and Glenn followed after giving Maggie a long kiss. Rick kissed Lori on the cheek but she made no move to return the gesture, making Rick sigh and sadly take the driver's seat. Carol felt Daryl's grip on her hand lessen and he turned to face her. They said a simple goodbye and he kissed her lips lightly, nothing as fiery and desperate as moments ago.

"Be safe," Carol whispered, worry written on her face.

"I always come back," Daryl stated confidently, he winked and slid into the passenger seat. Carol shut the door and stepped back as the car started and rolled forward.

She and Maggie watched the dust from the driveway the car stirred up until it settled completely and then slowly made their way inside to wait for their people to return to them.


	31. Diversion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the run goes bad and Carol finds herself alone again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tip Your Waitress: ko-fi.com/panjamysy  
> Tumblr: solar-pxwered.tumblr.com

Daryl's eyes were trained on his side of the road, Glenn kept an eye on the other side, Andrea watched their rear and Rick focused on straight ahead. It was a good system, Daryl had to credit Andrea for it. She had claimed they didn't want what happened to Lori to happen to them, they should always be aware of their surroundings because walkers might be drawn to the sound of the car.

They arrived on the outskirts of the town without incident, however, and Rick handed them each a list of items. Daryl smiled slightly when he recognized Carol's handwriting and tucked it in his pocket after he planned in his mind where to find the first group of items.

"We meet back here," Rick stated when they came to a stop next to the town sign that claimed the place to be the home of "The Nicest Folks You'll Ever Meet".

"We're splitting up?" Glenn asked warily, "All of us?"

"Andrea's going with Daryl," Rick replied, "But, yes, you and I are on our own today."

Glenn nodded, looking nervous but accepted the plan. With a nod, Daryl and Andrea went their own way towards the Wal Mart on the clear other side of the town.

"So, how'd you sleep last night?" Andrea asked, her voice full of irritating suggestion. Daryl rolled his eyes.

"You really gonna be that juvenile, Blondie?" he asked humorlessly.

"Yep," Andrea replied, completely unashamed, she stared at him while he did his best to ignore her. "You and I both know you didn't get much sleep last night, you look like you're about to fall asleep on your feet."

"I'm fine," Daryl snapped, his eyes still looking straight ahead.

"Carol certainly thinks so," Andrea ventured, trying to get a reaction out of him. It worked, she saw his lip twitch into a tiny smile and then fall back into its normal frown. "Ah, yes she does. You wouldn't believe some of the things she says about you."

Daryl's eyes flicked in her direction, but then returned to the road. Andrea knew she had struck a nerve so she continued on that path.

"Oh yeah, now we all know you SO much better than we ever did," she said, her voice nonchalant. "Carol's a lucky woman if what she claims is to be believed."

THAT got his full attention. His arms went limp to his sides and he turned to face her, his eyes squinted in wariness.

"What did she fuckin' say, exactly?" he asked, his tone was unsure.

"Well, through the wine-induced fuzz of the evening, I honestly can't remember everything..." Andrea played around with the issue.

"Cut the shit, Blondie," Daryl growled, taking an intimidating step forward.

"Ok, ok!" Andrea put up her hands in amused defeat, "Well, for starters, I never really noticed before but you DO have gorgeous eyes..."

Daryl suddenly seemed self conscious of his eyes because he blinked rapidly and took on a confused look.

"And I hear you're a brilliant kisser," Andrea continued, "Apparently you know how to use that snarky, filthy mouth of yours."

"I think you should shut the Hell up and..."

"And seven inches, not bad," Andrea threw the icing on the proverbial cake.

Daryl's mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water, but no sound came out except for a few weak choked sounds. His eyes were wide as a deer in the headlights and Andrea struggled not to burst into hysterical laughter, but she contained herself because she didn't want to needlessly attract any walkers.

"She...what did...she told...?" Daryl stuttered, Andrea almost felt bad for him...ALMOST.

"Oh, give Carol a little red wine and that tongue of hers gets mighty loose," Andrea said with a wink.

Daryl sighed heavily and ran his hand through his hair, his eyes dropped to the ground.

"What all'd she say?" he asked quietly, his teeth clenched.

"Apparently you're VERY good at what you do," Andrea said simply, "Damn...I should have jumped on that wagon when I had the chance. Shane is...he's good but not as good as Carol makes you out to be."

Daryl looked horrified and a deep red blush crept over his face as he took a small step back, creating a more comfortable space between them.

"Alright, Dixon," Andrea finally took pity on him and smiled, "That's really all she told us so calm down. I'm sure you told the guys a ton about Carol too so you can't be pissed at her."

"I didn't tell 'em nothin'," Daryl replied darkly, "I don't kiss 'n tell."

"Well, it doesn't matter," Andrea assured him, "That's just what girls do. We love to swap our war stories, ya know? We all shared our info, just to make you feel better, you weren't the only one discussed. Mostly you, but not ONLY you."

"Well, shit, I feel so much better, thanks," Daryl muttered, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "Look, we're here for a reason, so let's cut the crap and get this stuff so we can get back. I got some things to say to my woman."

Andrea fell in step behind him as he stalked off down the empty street, his eyes went back to scanning the area carefully for the undead. There was a heavy silence between them as they made their way across town which was only broken by Daryl's occasional grunt when he would point out a walker in the distance or off to the sides, which were quickly taken down by an arrow or her baseball bat.

Finally, they reached Wal*Mart and Andrea looked in dismay over the cement wall they were climbing at the dozens of walkers that were roaming about in the parking lot.

"Fuck..."Daryl whispered viciously, "Where the hell did all these fuckers come from!?"

"How are we gonna get past them all?" Andrea whispered back, her face scrunched in annoyance at this new challenge.

Daryl didn't reply for a long moment as he took in the situation and mulled it over in his mind. Finally, he tapped her on the top of her thigh and jerked his head to motioned her to follow him back behind the cement wall. He crouched down and Andrea followed suit, waiting for him to explain the plan.

"Here's what we're gonna do," Daryl said, keeping his voice low. Andrea couldn't help but like the sound of it. "Did you see that roll up door across the lot there that's partway open? I'm gonna distract 'em, lock 'em in there. You're gonna go around the back way through the cart doors. You don't shoot a single shot and you keep yourself down, you hear me?"

Andrea nodded.

"You get inside and I'll meet you in..."

"Feminine hygiene." Andrea offered with a giggle.

"Sure, whatever." Daryl didn't miss a beat, "Meet you there. If I don't meet you in ten minutes, you get what you can and get out. Don't worry about me, I can handle myself, you just get back to Rick and Glenn."

"But..."

"Do. You. Fuckin'. Hear me?" Daryl's icy gaze locked on her and Andrea shrunk back slightly, she knew there was no disagreeing with his terms so she nodded slowly.

"Yes." She replied coldly.

"Good girl," Daryl teased, giving her a wink before he stood slowly and climbed back onto the wall to determine his strategy of distraction. Finally he nodded to himself and pulled the handgun he'd brought along from his pants and slung his crossbow over his shoulder.

"Right," he said with a steadying exhale, "You ready? You with me on this? No heroics, Blondie."

"I heard you the first time, Dixon," Andrea said firmly, "Meet you in ten."

Daryl nodded silently to her and slunk off to the left, crouched low as he circled his way around the edge of the walkers, gaining as much ground towards the automotive shop as he could before they caught his scent.

Andrea watched in morbid fascination as one walker, then another, caught on that something tasty and living was close. She held her breath as they started to turn, one by one, towards Daryl as he snuck along. Finally, Daryl stood to his full height and shot the lead walker with the handgun, the shot echoed across the lot and every walker in sight turned to the sound and began to stumble towards the now visible delicacy that had caused the ruckus. Daryl took another shot that dropped a close walker and then he took off at a full out run towards the garage door, the walkers pursuing surprisingly quickly. Andrea waited for a moment and then dropped off the wall, quietly making her way behind the walkers towards the cart loading doors. She glanced once, over towards the garage and saw Daryl slide under the partially opened door like someone out of a kickass action movie and she grinned before she slipped around the corner and through the hanging plastic strips of the cart bay.

Andrea nearly ran smack into a walker that was scuffling around by the automatic doors that had long since stopped, it was caught in the doors by the ankle, actually. She backed up quick and bashed it with her bat then swung around to make sure it was alone. Nothing was in sight so she relaxed a little and made her way across the store towards the feminine hygiene section.

She reached the aisle that was once filled with packs of expensive cotton you used once and pitched...the prices of the damn stuff always pissed Andrea off. But that didn't matter now and she grabbed the boxes and bags that were left on the shelf and threw them in the cart, she then went around and gathered toothpaste and brushes, shampoo, razors and all the other good stuff you can find in the health and hygiene area, surprisingly bountiful. She supposed that was due to the amount of walkers surrounding the place, the last time they had been here, they'd only been lucky to not have stirred any of them up. When she unloaded her armful in the cart she finally realized she was still alone...surely it had been more than ten minutes.

"Calm down," she whispered to herself when her heart leapt to her throat at the realization, "He's probably just biding time to make his escape."

So Andrea sunk down to the floor to wait for him to arrive, but time crept by and he didn't come. Worried and not wanting to be alone in this hell hole of a store, Andrea stood up and carefully made her way to the fenced in gardening section. She could see the auto garage from there perfectly and the first thing she noted was that the door was closed and a large majority of the walkers were gone, she assume they were locked inside from the sound of banging coming from behind the roll up door. But there were still a good amount of them roaming about the outside and Andrea saw no sign of her partner. Until she saw something that made her nearly lose her breakfast as the bile rose in her throat...a crossbow. A walker was gnawing on the weapon like a chew toy and Andrea wasn't foolish enough to convince herself that that red stuff all over the bow and the ground wasn't blood.

Stifling a terrified squeak/sob, Andrea backed away from the fence slowly and silently. She couldn't believe what she'd seen, blood...so much blood...and Daryl would never be parted from his beloved crossbow, that thing was his only means of survival. She couldn't fathom the truth, Daryl was no fool, he couldn't possibly have made such a foolish mistake...could he? Was anyone invincible in this world? She reached the cart full of hygiene items and slid down the end of the shelf, buried her face in her knees and took several deep, steadying breaths as she tried to clear her head and figure out what to do next. She had to get out while the walkers were distracted by...by...

Andrea stood up quickly, angrily. She growled and kicked a bottle of shampoo that had fallen on the floor and busted open down the aisle as hard as she could, she didn't want it to be true, but she'd seen the evidence. But he had told her to get back to Glenn and Rick if he didn't come back...and she wasn't going to let his sacrifice be in vain, she had to get the supplies back. So she squared her shoulders and read the list somberly and set out to gather them as quickly as she could.

Soon, she snuck out the back again, carrying two hand held baskets of items they required for winter, plus all the ammo she could find in the small hunting section. She looked around the corner carefully and felt sick again when she saw that the walkers were on their knees, their rotten tongues licking the pavement where the blood had spilled...and that's when she knew it was Daryl's, walker's didn't give a shit about their kind's blood. It was like a demented lollipop...

Shaking her head as tears threatened to well up in her eyes, she placed the baskets on the top of the cement wall they had climbed over not a half hour ago and then hopped up, giving one last look over her shoulder at the crowd of monsters who were most likely ripping her friend's body to shreds around that corner where they were starting to congregate slowly toward.

"What happened to not trying to be a hero?" she whispered sadly, angrily. "You never did take your own advice, Dixon."

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Carol hadn't been able to shake the uneasy feeling she'd had all day, even when she made herself busy. She did the laundry, she did some archery practice with Sophia, she cleaned up their campsite and organized their tent, she did the dishes after lunch with Maggie, she did homework with Sophia, Carl and Beth...but nothing could take away that twist in her guts she couldn't explain.

By the time the Cherokee rolled up the driveway, she had felt like she would explode with anticipation and worry, they were late. They were due back at least two hours ago but they hadn't heard anything from them and everyone was beginning to get concerned. So when the dust rose from the driveway and the sound of the motor reached her ears, Carol shot out the door and down the front steps like a bolt of lightning and skidded to a halt under the trees where they usually parked.

But she only saw three people in the beat up old Cherokee...and the one person she wanted to see wasn't among them.

"Did Daryl pick up a new vehicle?" she asked as Rick stepped out of the car. Maybe they'd found a working car or something and he was driving it back. Surely he'd come up the driveway any second...right? But the look on all three of the faces looking at her told her this was not the case.

"Carol..."Rick began but she stepped back away from his hand that was reaching out to offer support.

"Where is he?" Carol asked, her voice flat and cold. "Where the fuck IS he?!"

Andrea gently moved Rick aside and stood in front of Carol, her eyes filled with tears.

"I'm so sorry, Carol," she whispered, her voice choked. "He...he ran a diversion...and he...he didn't make it back. I'm so, SO sorry!" 

"What do you mean he didn't make it back?!" Carol hollered, her fists clenched in anger and disbelief.

"He was suppose to meet me in the store...but he never showed so I snuck outside to see if I had taken shelter somewhere...and...I saw...there was too much blood, Carol...there was nothing we could have done."

"No, no he's not...you have to go back and look for him!" Carol shrieked, stepping back and looking at Rick pleadingly. "You have to go back and find him!"

"Carol," Rick said gently, placing his hands on her shoulders, "We did go back. There were too many walkers...we saw them...they had his crossbow...and the blood, they were...I'm sorry, Carol, but...he's gone."

And those two words, 'he's gone', shattered every fiber of Carol's heart. She felt every ounce of will, energy and happiness fly from her and her knees buckled and she found herself in the dirt of the driveway, her tears making tiny splashes of mud where they fell in the dust. But she refused to make a sound, not in front of the group...she forced herself to her feet and took off across the field, ignoring the calls that followed her. She ran until she came to their campsite and she flung herself onto the sleeping bags and let the sobs wrack her body. His scent met her nose as she buried her face in his pillow and soaked it with her tears.

Everything in her screamed that this was impossible, he was too strong, too willful to die! But, no, not in this world...not in this life. He was never a fighter, he was a hunter. His place was here, providing, not running off on stupid dangerous missions, putting his life on the line for a few fucking tampons and shampoo!

She cried for hours, punching the pillows, screaming into them, throwing them, hugging them to her chest as she rocked in a fetal position...anything to try and ease the ache and the rage.

"Mommy?" the soft voice of Sophia floated to her ears and she found a tiny speck of sanity that still remained deep in her, Sophia was all she had now and nothing would stop her from keeping her daughter safe.

"C...come in, S..Sophia," Carol choked, drying her eyes with the back of her hand. Sophia lifted the ten flap and stepped in, immediately flinging her arms around Carol's neck.

They cried together for a long time, until they simply couldn't cry anymore, then Sophia sat back on her heels and looked Carol straight in the eyes.

"Mommy, before daddy left he...he told me something I had to do," her voice was small, fragile...yet determined. She leaned forward and kissed Carol's cheek lightly and grabbed her hands in her small, little girl hands and squeezed tightly. "Daddy told me 'Sophia, you take care of your mom while I'm gone' and that's what I'm gonna do, mom. I'm gonna be here to take care of you now that daddy can't."


	32. One Step Forward

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Carol and Sophia learn how to live after loss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tip Your Waitress: ko-fi.com/panjamysy  
> Tumblr: solar-pxwered.tumblr.com

Carol's eyes fluttered open slowly, the tent was still dark due to the blankets that covered the sides, Daryl's version of insulation. At that thought, Carol's heart squeezed uncomfortably and she felt tears stinging her eyes and she wondered vaguely if she would ever feel normal again...it had been three days and the ache was still as fresh as the moment she'd heard those words: 'He's gone'.

Getting up in the morning had always been easy for Carol, but now it was one of the hardest things in the world, second only to falling asleep. When she would lay down at night to sleep, she couldn't even imagine being able to sleep ever again, the emptiness beside her was like a black hole that was pulling her soul out of her. She didn't realize it was possible to cry as much as she did every night, she had even begun to feel a little dehydrated. Even Sophia's body next to her did little to fill the void he'd left.

Getting up was hard because she felt like there was little purpose anymore. What was there to live for? And then she would remember...her daughter. Sophia was her purpose now. And she would sit up and gather together all the emotional, mental and physical strength that remained and force herself to rise to her feet and take one step at a time.

"Sophia," she whispered, kneeling down to shake her daughter's shoulder, "Sophia, it's time to get up."

Sophia groaned but rolled over and nodded, rubbing her eyes with her knuckles. Carol rose again and grabbed her bow, her fingers traced gently over her named carved into the wood, Daryl's handwriting. She bit her bottom lip as her throat tightened but she turned and crept out of the tent, nocking an arrow and scanning the area for any sign of walkers as Daryl had always done. When she was satisfied that all was well, she slipped back inside and changed out of her pajamas and into her jeans and sweater. She let herself go slightly limp as she twisted the ring on her finger and sighed lightly, Sophia sat down next to her.

"Mom?" she said softly, "Are you ok?"

Carol shook her head slowly.

"No, baby," she said quietly, honestly. "I'm not...but I will be. It's going to take some time."

Sophia nodded and reached behind Carol where Daryl's bag laid and pulled something out. She then laid it softly on Carol's lap. Carol smiled and let out a choked sob when she recognized Daryl's winged vest/jacket and she pulled the material to her face to catch the tears that began to fall, his scent was strong on it and that only increased the amount of tears.

"Let's get going, mom," Sophia said softly, standing up and tugging her mother's hand. "Dad wouldn't want us to sit around crying. He'd say 'suck it up'."

Carol couldn't help it, she laughed. It was a weird, half choked laugh, but it felt good anyway...just a tiny bit of endorphins. She looked up at her daughter and smiled lightly then she stood and slipped her arms through the sleeves of the jacket, taking a long whiff of the collar, and nodded at her daughter as they exited the tent together to face the day.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Sophia, grab your bow," Carol announced as she emerged from the farmhouse after breakfast, "We're going shooting."

Sophia grinned and ran ahead to the tent and ran back with both her and Carol's bows and quivers. This was the first time in the three days, four if you counted this one, that Carol had given even a thought to anything else but her grief. But what Sophia had said that morning had gotten her thinking...it was true, Daryl wouldn't want then giving up, he would want them to be safe and strong and so Carol was determined to start training with her daughter to improve their skills. Carol didn't know the first thing about hunting, but she was going to try.

"Sophia, let's not go to the range," Carol stated, causing Sophia to cock her head in confusion, "Let's...let's try to bring back some food, huh?"

Sophia's smile widened and Carol felt a rush of hope invade her heart at the sight. She wasn't alone, not while her daughter was alive. She placed a hand on Sophia's shoulder and they headed for the woods across the field.

When they reached the trees, Carol focused on trying to walk silently as she scanned the area around them for walkers or animals. Sophia barely made any noise as she walked along beside her and Carol smiled as she imagined her daughter had a knack for this.

Suddenly, Sophia stopped in her tracks and crouched down, motioning for Carol to do the same, then pointed to the left. Carol looked over where she was pointing and saw a lone walker swaying on its feet next to a large rock. The familiar cold fear clutched her, but Carol placed a hand on Sophia's back and nodded, pulling an arrow from her quiver, Sophia did the same and they both stood and nocked their arrows.

"If I miss, take a shot," Carol whispered as she took aim. Her heart was racing and memories of her training came flying into her mind, she could almost feel Daryl's arms and hands readjusting her stance and hear his voice telling her to keep her elbow straight. Carol closed her eyes for a second and took a steadying breath, then opened them, aimed and let the arrow fly. It connected with the walker's head with a sickening thud and it dropped like a stone. Carol sighed and relaxed and Sophia released the tension on her string but left the arrow on it as they approached the body to reclaimed Carol's arrow.

"Good eyes, Sophia!" she praised her daughter's abilities, "I didn't see it!"

"Thanks," Sophia replied with a grin, "Dad always says..."

Carol felt her throat constrict as Sophia's face scrunched painfully.

"I'm sorry, mom," she said with a whimper, "I didn't mean to..."

"Shh, Sophia," Carol knelt down and pulled her daughter into a tight hug, bow and all. "I don't want you to forget anything he told you. Now tell me, what was it he always said?"

"He...he always said that a hunter didn't need a sixth sense, all you need is the five you have, just use them the best you can."

"He was right," Carol wiped away the tears that were dripping from her daughter's eyes, "You know what else he use to always say? 'Quite yer bawlin'."

Sophia giggled sadly and nodded.

"He told YOU that," she countered, "He hated when you cried."

Carol couldn't stop the tears, they came suddenly and she pulled her daughter close again and they shook with sobs together, successfully frightening away all the game there may have been in the area. She just wanted to hold her forever, but eventually she released her grip and let Sophia step back slightly.

"C'mon, mom," she said with a small smile, "Let's go get Lulu, I bet she'll help us hunt!"

It was true, Lulu DID help them, in fact Lulu did most of the hunting. The only problem was that Lulu ATE the game she caught and wasn't fond of sharing. Sophia managed to get a rabbit away from her but the squirrels she caught were down in a few gulps.

"Lulu, give me it!" Sophia pulled the rabbit from the bobcat's paws and Lulu looked indignant but let it go without even a snap. Sophia had trained her well and Carol was glad she could feel safe with Lulu. Daryl had been right about it after all...

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Carol and Sophia returned an hour later and handed Patricia their slightly chewed on rabbit with matching grins. Patricia took it gingerly but praised their success none the less.

When they approached the RV where the group was gathered, in deep discussion, Carol knew something was up. Eyes darted in her direction and talk died down to whispers as they approached and Lori walked up to meet her before she arrived.

"Carol...I know you're not going to want to do this," she said softly, soothingly. "But we think it would be the right thing to do if we built a cairn...for Daryl."

Carol closed her eyes tight, knowing what Lori was really saying. _Carol, I know you're in denial, but we think it's time for you to accept the fact that Daryl is really dead and we think a grave will help you get to that point._

"Lori..." Carol wanted to protest, to demand more time...but for what? She knew she was only dragging out the inevitable. "When?"

Lori looked surprised.

"When what?"

"When are we doing it?"

"Whenever you're ready..." Lori said, shaken by Carol's sudden agreement.

"Let's get it over with then," Carol's voice was cold. She and Sophia walked around Lori and towards the group. "Come on, guys, let's do it now."

Everyone eyed her warily as she walked past them, towards their makeshift graveyard where Otis' cairn, Shawn, Beth's mother and several others lay, but they followed her slowly. Everyone started picking up rocks and placing them in the wheelbarrow as they went, Carol picked one up and carried it by it's self as did Sophia...the stones to be placed last.

When they'd gathered enough, they got together under the tree and Rick laid the first stones in four corners making a rectangle roughly six feet in length and three in width. The others got to work piling stones from the outside in, making a miniature, odd shaped pyramid of rocks. Finally, everyone stepped back and Carol and Sophia stepped forward to place their stones. Sophia set hers at the top and stepped back, sniffing and dripping tears but Carol hesitated to set her stone on the pile. If she set this stone down, it was her way of accepting this lot, this horrible blow to her life, and she didn't know if she could.

"I...I don't want to let him go," she whispered out loud, to no one in particular. She felt a warm hand on her wrist and looked to the side to see Andrea looking at her with sympathy.

"Carol...I know this is hard," she said softly, so soft that Carol knew it was only for her to hear. "But you have to think of Sophia now, she needs you. Daryl would have given his life for that little girl and she doesn't deserve to lose both of you. Do this for her even if you think you can't."

Carol sniffed back the tears threatening to spill down her cheeks and took a small step forward, her eyes locked on the pile of rocks that represented the end of something she'd held more dear than life it's self, the end of a life she'd come to love. The end of the man she loved more than her own self, loved as much as her own daughter. Her hand shook as she lifted it and the stone toward the top of the cairn, but she was determined and she closed her eyes as her rock settled with a light _click_ on top of the rest of them and she withdrew her hand painfully slow, feeling as if time had stopped at that moment.

"Goodbye, Daryl Dixon," she whispered, stepping back was just as hard as stepping forward had been and she was strengthened by the warmth of Sophia's small hand in hers when he daughter reached out for her.

Carol's mind didn't register anything Herschel said as he stood by the stones with his Bible open, quoting words of blessings at the memorial. Only when he turned and asked who would speak for Daryl did she shake from her thoughts and begin to fathom what was going on around her.

"I will," Sophia squeaked from her side, Carol looked down in shock as Sophia released her hand and stepped forward. She stood by the stones and placed her small hand on the cairn.

Carol thought for sure that Sophia wouldn't be able to do it, her eyes had closed and she was sniffing loudly, tears slipping from under her eyelashes, but then they opened and she cleared her throat and began speaking in a wavering, choked voice.

"Daryl was my daddy. He wasn't my real daddy, but he was my REAL daddy. He loved me and he loved my mom like my...like Ed never did. Daddy Daryl took care of us and always made sure we got the most food on our plates, the most blankets at night. He kept us safe, he ruffled my hair and hugged me all the time and he made mommy laugh and smile like I've never seen her laugh and smile before. He told us how much he loved us and he showed us too. And he took care of this whole family, all of you, by hunting and protecting us from walkers...he was the best daddy, husband and friend we all ever had."

Carol watched with pride as her daughter nodded that she was finished and stepped back to her side, she took Sophia's hand and squeezed it encouragingly.

"Sophia...I couldn't have said it better than you," she said softly. Sophia only nodded and wiped away tear. People began to disperse slowly until Carol and Sophia were the only ones left standing there.

"What do we do now, mom?" Sophia's tiny voice reached Carol's ears and she felt her heart clench painfully.

"We live," Carol replied, "And we remember. This world is going to turn around, it has to. We'll be strong like daddy and we'll help put this world to right again. That's what we'll do now, sweetheart."


	33. Indoors

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Carol and Sophia make the decision to move into the farm house.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tip Your Waitress: ko-fi.com/panjamysy  
> Tumblr: solar-pxwered/tumblr.com

Maybe accepting the curveball life had thrown her had been the right thing, because Carol woke up the next morning, day five of her new existence, just a bit more easily and felt like she may actually be able to make it through the day. She reached out and pulled Sophia's sleeping form closer to her and sighed. Sophia moaned sleepily, but she opened her eyes and smiled slightly.

"Mom," she said quietly, "Can we go target practicing today?"

"Of course we can, Sophia," Carol replied, "I just have to talk to Rick about moving into the house first."

"I don't want to move into the house," Sophia whispered, "We're fine here, aren't we?"

"No, honey," Carol said, trying not to get choked up over the explanation. "I don't feel like I can protect us by myself. The only reason I felt safe here before is...because of Daryl."

Sophia rolled over to face Carol, her face was scrunched slightly, but she looked serious as could be.

"Mom...I feel safe with you," she said, "Dad use to say you're "one tough bitch"."

Carol snorted with laughter.

"Sophia! Watch your mouth!" she giggled. If Sophia had learned anything from Daryl, it seemed like she was picking up on his bad habits.

"Well, that IS what he said!" Sophia defended herself.

"Well, that's not language I want you using," Carol said firmly.

They lay there in silence for a long time, each lost in their own thoughts. Carol wondered what was going through her daughter's mind, was it as jumbled, confused and as painful as hers? All that crossed Carol's mind the majority of the time was Daryl. She could still see his cocky grin in her mind's eye, feel the rough warmth of his calloused hands on her skin, taste the salt of his skin and the bittersweet taste of his mouth, hear his soft, mellow voice as he sang her softly to sleep all that time ago.

Carol suddenly stood, forcing the tears that were threatening to fall back in. She took a deep steadying breath and began getting dressed and ready for the day. The last piece of clothing she put on was the winged jacket.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Rick?" Carol didn't know why it was so hard for her to do this, it almost felt like a betrayal to Daryl's memory, but she was letting go of her pride and she was going to do what was best for her daughter now and the best thing for her now would be to move into the house.

"Yeah, Carol? What can I do for ya?" Rick asked, kindly.

"I...I would like to move into the house if there's room for Sophia and I," Carol replied quietly, "If there's not room for us both, I would very much appreciate it if you could manage room for Sophia at least."

Rick smiled softly, a smile tinged with pity.

"Carol, of course we'll make room," he said, putting a hand on Carol's shoulder as he made intense eye contact, "You are an important part of this group, don't forget that, ok?"

Carol nodded, but said no more. She turned away and went to find Sophia to go practice.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 _Thunk!_ The satisfying sound of an arrow embedding deep in the target made Carol's heart swell, and the fact that her daughter had shot a bull's eye didn't hurt either.

"Sophia, that's great!" she said happily, side hugging her daughter as they looked at the target. Carol's arrow had hit within the second ring from the bull's eye.

"You did good too, mom," Sophia said happily, "Those walkers better stay clear of us, right?!"

"Right!" Carol laughed as she went to pull out the arrows. She yanked them out of the haybale and sighed, her shoulders dropping for a moment before she recomposed herself. This was how she went on every day, she would melt down for a split second then force herself to move forward despite the crippling fear and pain...because that's what she had to do for Sophia. When she felt like breaking, she imagined her daughter's life without her and that image gave her strength beyond what she thought she was capable of.

They target practiced all afternoon until the sun was getting low in the sky and Carol finally made the decision that it was time to go pack up their camp to move inside. The mood quickly dampened because Sophia was still upset about having to move in, but Carol wasn't going to let it change her mind, Sophia needed to be around people...and so did she.

So they walked back slowly and in silence, each in their own mind. When they reached their campsite, Sophia immediately began to throw her things, unorganized, into her bag while Carol neatly folded her own clothes to put in her box she'd brought out to move things in. She placed her clothes on the bottom and her few possessions on top of those...then came the hard part, sifting through Daryl's things.

"I'm done," Sophia mumbled, holding up her bag for Carol to see, "What do I do with it?"

"Take it to the house," Carol replied quietly, her fingers running lightly over the olive green cargo pants she was so fond of...or maybe it had just been the body beneath them. "Lori will show you where we're suppose to go."

Sophia nodded, her face was sad as she watched her mother for a moment, and then she slipped out of the tent softly and without another word.

This was one of the hardest things Carol had ever done in her life, sifting through this stuff. Every item she picked up and packed in the box made her heart tighten and tears flow even more. She started with his clothes, each one causing his strong, woodsy, manly scent to wash over her which caused memories to rise unbidden to her mind. She remembered removing these clothes from him in the heat of passion, or just because he was too stiff and sore from whatever work he'd done that day, on those nights she'd worked the kinks out of his muscles and she could still feel the strength of his muscles under her fingers. She ran a finger over one of the many holes she's patched up for him, he had always come back from the woods with fresh holes or tears in his pants or shirt and she smiled sadly as she remembered how she'd get onto him for it, claiming he caused her more unnecessary work...but she would give anything to have that work back if it meant seeing the smile he gave her every time she complained.

She gently laid the last article of clothing, the olive cargo pants, into the box and picked up his small pouch of beeswax, arrowheads, whetstone and bowstrings. She tucked it in between the clothes and the side of the box then took down the hanging mesh from the tent roof full of random articles like flint rocks, spare motorcycle and truck keys, a small switchblade knife, random cloth pieces, gun oil and cleaning patches. All the things that were so Daryl...things that he treasured and valued.

She stood slowly and went out to where the motorcycle was setting and began digging in the saddlebags. She took out his wallet, the keys, the jerky packets stuffed in them, the bottles of water, the bullets and all the odd pieces of things that Carol didn't recognize but assumed were valuable. She tucked all these objects in a smaller bag and made her way back inside, placing it in the box on top of the clothes.

The last thing she picked up was the rifle he'd found in town, the one she'd teased him with...which only seemed like days ago. She smiled sadly as she remembered the look on his face and how amazing it made her feel to have such power, such...appeal. He had made her feel like a real woman, a woman worth something. She laid the gun down next to the box and stared at the stack with tears in her eyes and wondered why life was so cruel to her to have given her something so wonderful, only to rip it away like it was nothing.

The tent flap opened and she wiped her tears away quickly, she didn't want Sophia to see her like this again, she had to be strong! She squared her shoulders and sat up straight, blinking to get rid of the tears still brimming her eyes.

"Sophia, can you grab the gun and I'll get the box?" she asked quietly, she stood and then bent over to grip the side of the box.

"You pawnin' off my stuff or somethin'? That's pretty cold..."

Carol felt her entire body go numb, her throat constricted tighter than she thought possible and her heart began to thump wildly. This was it...she was going insane...it was bound to happen. She released her hold on the box and straightened up as slowly as humanly possible, not wanting to turn around but not able to stop herself. She turned her body, but her eyes remained averted...they were the last to turn and focus.

"Not...possible..."she whispered at the figure in front of her.

"Doesn't seem like it, does it?"

And the last thing Carol remembered was that cheeky smile before her knees gave out and her world went black.


	34. Welcome Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Daryl is welcomed home with stitches from Herschel and...enthusiasm from Carol.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tip Your Waitress: ko-fi.com/panjamysy  
> Tumblr: solar-pxwered.tumblr.com

Carol blinked, trying to clear the fuzz in her brain as she regained consciousness, the first thing she noticed was Andrea sitting next to her, a wet rag in hand.

"Carol, you feeling ok?" she asked softly. "You passed out."

"I...how long have I been out?" Carol asked softly, then she remembered the events leading up to her loss of consciousness and she sat up, making her head swim. "Andrea! I saw Daryl! I saw him!"

Andrea looked at her with pity and pushed her gently back down.

"Carol..." she said softly, "I know you're stressed and losing Daryl was a very difficult blow...but you must have been seeing things."

Carol sighed heavily and slumped back into the pillows.

"I...I thought..." Carol felt her throat tightening and her heart breaking all over again. "Andrea, I think I'm going mad."

Andrea's face remained pitying for a moment more, but then Carol saw the corner of her mouth twitch and she immediately burst into laughter.

"Oh, Carol, I'm so sorry! I'm such an ass!" she said with a mixture of humor and apology, "Get up. Come on, get your butt out of bed and come with me!"

Carol nodded softly, wondering what Andrea was going on about, but she stood slowly, letting her brain adjust to the change in position. Andrea took her hand and led her down the hall, the door on the left at the end was open and there was a lot of commotion coming out of it.

"Everyone get out of here!" she heard Herschel snap suddenly and people began to file out, and they threw her giant grins as they passed her on their way towards the stairs. Lori squeezed her arm as she passed and Carol's half blurry mind wondered what she was so happy about. Andrea pushed her gently forward and Carol nearly bumped into the doorframe when she felt herself yanked inside by Sophia's small hand on her forearm.

"Sophia, what...?"

And the world stopped once again when she turned to the right and her eyes fell on the figure on the bed that Herschel was leaning over. There was blood on the blankets and towels that had been places under him and she eyed the table full of metal instruments Herschel was placing something sharp looking on at that moment.

"D...Daryl?" she breathed in disbelief. Daryl rolled over quickly, causing a wince to shoot over his face that faded quickly into a huge smile.

"Hey, babe," he said softly.

"Roll over!" Herschel demanded, pushing Daryl's shoulder, making him roll back onto his right side. Carol made her way dreamily around to the other side of the bed, her eyes taking in his form.

He looked terrible...but Carol thought she'd never seen something so beautiful in her life. He was filthy, covered in dried blood, and he looked thinner than when she last saw him, his skin was flushed and he was sweating a lot and she noticed he was breathing pretty hard. His left pant leg was cut up to his hip and laid open to reveal a large, deep gash on the outside of his thigh which was what Herschel was in there for. Carol felt a little bit sick at the sight of it, but her concern was greater than her disgust.

"Herschel..." she said quietly, "Is he going to be ok?"

"He's got a pretty nasty infection and a high fever," Herschel stated grimly, "He's lost a lot of blood and he's dehydrated but...I'll do my best, Carol. I think he'll be ok if he does as he's told."

Carol felt her gut clench when Hershel started threading a large needle with very thick stitching thread. Daryl weakly glanced over his shoulder to see what she was looking at and he jerked, recoiling from the needle as Herschel approached with it.

"I'm not doing any stitches yet," Herschel said grimly, "You're gonna be grateful when I do that compared to what I have to do next."

Carol looked at Herschel questioningly and Daryl turned to look at him too, distrust written on his face.

"What the fuck are ya gonna do?" he growled, pain thick in his voice and it made Carol's heart squeeze uncomfortably seeing him like this.

Herschel didn't reply because he turned to meet Patricia who was carrying a long piece of metal with a flat end on it, and a large cast iron pot containing what Carol thought was still burning chunks of charcoal both Carol and Daryl's eyes widened at the sight of it.

"What is that!?" Carol squeaked.

"Carol...you might want to step out..." Patricia placed a hand on Carol's arm and gave a little tug but Carol yanked herself from her grip.

"I'm not going anywhere," she growled, then looked down at Daryl and said softer, "I'm not going anywhere."

Patricia and Herschel looked at each other, unsure, but he then nodded and Carol watched in horror as she set the end of the metal thing into the small blaze contained in the black pot which she set on a large flat rock Maggie had just placed on the floor.

"You better not intend on gettin' within ten feet of me with that," Daryl warned, his eyes squinted in anger.

"Daryl you've got a very bad infection and quite a lot of dead tissue in that wound," Herschel explained, "Before I can stitch you up and get you started on antibiotics I've got to clean this out...and this is the most effective way. If this infection goes untreated...you will lose your leg."

Daryl's eyes widened in disbelief.

"No fuckin' way! It's not that bad!" he yelled, "Is it really THAT bad!?"

Carol bit her bottom lip when his eyes came back to lock on hers, searching for her support to his argument.

"It's bad, Daryl...I'm no doctor but it doesn't look good," she was sorry she couldn't back him up, Herschel was right.

Daryl sighed heavily but nodded, his eyes dropped to the floor and he seemed to be thinking deeply. Behind him, Carol saw Patricia hand Herschel to now red hot cauterizing tool. She gulped loudly and felt like she might throw up, but she knew she couldn't...she had to be strong for Daryl at this moment. She gripped his left hand firmly.

"Daryl, Daryl look at me, ok?" she whispered quickly, seeing that Herschel wasn't going to waste any time with this, he was moving the hot metal towards the gash in Daryl's leg at that moment. "You can do this, you're tough as nails!"

Daryl nodded, but his eyes were terrified and when Herschel pressed the metal down his entire face scrunched into the most pained expression she'd ever seen in her life and he let out a growling whine that broke Carol's heart. His grip on her hand became painful from the tightness and Carol squeezed back to ease the pain shooting up her arm. Herschel pulled back and Patricia pressed a cool, wet cloth to the burned area and Daryl's grip relaxed on her and she pulled her hand back.

"Ow," she said with a grim chuckle, "Are you alright?"

"Sorry," Daryl voice was small and he looked at her with an apologetic look that was hazy with pain.

Carol nodded and handed him the pillow he wasn't using quickly to grip because Herschel was about to continue. Carol bit her bottom lip and had to look away when she heard the sizzle of burning skin and Daryl let out a sharp yelp which became an angry, pained howl. If it was possible, she felt like her own skin was burning out of sympathy!

Six presses later, Herschel was satisfied that he'd cleaned it as best he could and he held out a hand for the stitching needle and Patricia handed it to him. Carol took Daryl's hand again and pressed a kiss to his forehead.

"Are you ok?" she whispered.

Daryl nodded quickly and Carol noticed a tear running down his cheek so she wiped it away before Herschel or Patricia would notice, after all he had an image to maintain. She kissed the salty trail it had left on his face and ended at the corner of his right eye.

"They're starting the stitches now," she warned him as Herschel leaned over with the needle.

"Awesome..." Daryl mumbled, giving her hand a squeeze.

Carol locked her eyes with his and winced every time he did. The stitches took a long time it seemed to her but finally Herschel announced he was done and Daryl's grip on her relaxed.

"Ok..." Herschel stated, washing his hands off in the basin Maggie had brought in at some point, Carol wasn't sure when because she'd been to focused on Daryl's eyes...those beautiful cobalt eyes she thought she'd never see again. "I'm gonna ask you to take antibiotics everyday and keep these stitches dry and clean. And for Pete's sake, DO NOT try and walk around a lot or do anything strenuous."

"Alright, doc, I got it," Daryl muttered. "Thanks for the patch up."

"And, Carol, make sure he drinks a lot," Patricia added as she followed Herschel out the door, pushing the metal cart of now bloody instruments.

Carol assured Patricia she would make sure he was following the rules and closed the door behind her. She pressed her forehead into the wood as it clicked shut and then glanced over at Daryl who was looking at her over his shoulder, a weak smile on his lips. She felt the weight of everything finally crush her and she slid down the door to her knees and let the tears fall as her body wracked with sobs.

"Woman, get over here," Daryl's voice interrupted her crying, he sounded stern. Carol recognized his no nonsense tone and she rose unsteadily to her feet, her legs still shaking from the shock of the day. She walked around the bed to the empty side and laid next to him, not meeting his eyes as she tried to stop sniffling. "C'mere."

Carol felt his arm slip around her and she was pulled tightly into his chest as he turned onto his back carefully, pulling her slightly on top of him as he lifted her chin and claimed her mouth slowly and sweetly. Carol returned the kiss in a fog of disbelief, her mind hadn't quite grasped the fact that she was actually touching him, that this was real. She pulled back from his lips and nuzzled her nose into his neck. He was filthy and the smell of his skin was strong with sweat, but she didn't give a flying fuck, she ran her lips and tongue over the muscles and tendons of his throat as her fingertips twisted slowly in the light colored hair on his chest.

"I thought you were dead," she whispered into the crook where his jaw and neck connected. "I...I didn't think I'd ever see you again."

"I didn't think I'd make it back either," Daryl admitted softly, his right hand was buried in her still short, but increasingly shaggy hair and his left traced her spine through her shirt. "All I could think of was getting back here to you."

"How?" Carol asked, putting her weight on her palms as she pushed herself up to look down at him. Her breath caught in her throat as he stared up at her, his gaze was intense and she saw all kinds of emotions running around in his eyes like he was trying to pin down one emotion to feel.

"It's a long story, ya better get comfortable," he said finally. She nodded and let herself lower down to him again, rolling off and tucking herself close into his side.

"I'm comfy," she announced, "Now...tell me what happened. Andrea told me she was sure you were dead."

"I don't blame her," Daryl muttered, "I was pretty sure I was gonna be too. I ran a diversion, tried to lure the walkers into the auto shop garage. Andrea snuck in the store around the corner so she didn't see it happen, but when I got inside I had t' climb out through a window and on my way through I got snagged on..well, I'm not sure exactly what it was but it was metal and, as ya can see, it was pretty fuckin' sharp."

Carol waited, wide-eyed, for him to continue.

"Well, it hurt like shit and I didn't make the most graceful landin' and not all the geeks were dumb enough to get in the garage before I closed it so all the ones outside still obviously smelled the blood and started headin' my way," Daryl continued telling his story like it was no big deal, "I managed to kill a few before there were just too many so I started making my way toward the loading dock doors. One of the fuckers got a hold of my crossbow and I lost it but I knew if I went back for it it'd be my ass so I dragged myself to those doors somehow, adrenaline is my guess, and got inside."

"Andrea said she thought you were dead because she saw a walker chewing on your crossbow and there was a lot of blood," Carol said, piecing the storied together.

"Yeah, it was pretty bad," Daryl agreed, "I managed to get the bleeding under control by making a tourniquet with my shirt and an arrow, but then I passed out. When I woke up, I looked outside and the walkers had moved on, they were stumbling around the front of the store again. So I went inside and got some bandages and tape and fixed m'self up a bit better before I snuck out the back and got my bow back. I stayed there for the night, figuring maybe Rick and them'd come back lookin'."

"I told them to," Carol said softly, "I didn't believe you were dead. But Rick said they'd gone back and not been able to find you."

"Probably went back while I was passed out," Daryl reasoned, "If they'd been callin' for me I wouldn't've heard 'em. So the next morning, I grabbed what food I could find off the shelves in the store and started making my way home. Which wasn't easy and took a lot longer than I planned. I started getting this fever yesterday and I didn't think I was gonna make it...but I just kept thinking of you. I had to get back."

Carol pulled him closer, if that was even possible, and pressed her lips to his shoulder.

"I...Sophia and I...well, all of us, I guess...we had a funeral for you," Carol said, feeling dumb about the whole thing now.

"Yeah?" Daryl sounded amused, "Did everyone cry and say I was a great guy?"

"I cried..."

Carol felt his arm tighten around her.

"I'm sorry, Carol," he whispered, his voice sounded tight and Carol looked up to find his eyes glistening with tears. "I'm sorry you had to go through this. I wish I could've made it home sooner but this damn leg..."

"Shh," Carol demanded, pressing her finger to his lips, "I'm not mad. Daryl, I'm just so glad to see you that I don't want to think about these last few days. Just...hold me."

And he did. He held her for hours and they both fell asleep in each other's arms and that's how they were found by the rest of the group when they came to see how Daryl was doing, everyone would smile softly and back out without a sound, leaving them alone.

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"You smell pretty bad," Carol stated later after they'd been awake for a while.

"I imagine I do," Daryl muttered, "I ain't really had time t' clean up lately."

"Well, you've gotta get cleaned up," Carol stated simply, throwing her legs over the edge of the bed and standing up. She turned around and pulled him up into a sitting position, careful to avoid jostling his injured leg. "I'll be right back."

Carol went down to the kitchen and grabbed the cling wrap from the drawer under the microwave and made her way back upstairs.

"Ok, get up," she announced as she came back in the room.

Daryl obeyed and shakily rose from where he was sitting on the bed's side, he favored his left leg and Carol stood next to him, wrapping her arm around him, acting like a human crutch for his right side as they made their way out of the room and down the hall to the bathroom. Carol helped sit him down on the chair next to the tub and she turned on the warm water, testing it with her hand until it was running at the right temperature before plugging the drain to hold the water.

She turned then and had him stand up. She gently undid the front of his bloody, ripped and ruined jeans and slip them slowly and carefully down his legs, making sure not to brush the material over the stitches on his thigh. Daryl sat back down and she pulled them completely off, tossing them aside. That was all he had on in the first place and she took in his bare form appreciatively. He was brown with dirt and dried blood, his hair was plastered down with sweat and oil and who knows what else, but his eyes were bright and happy as he stared back at her.

"Damn, feels good to be out of those things," he said with a grin.

Carol laughed and picked up the box of cling wrap. She handed him the corners and then stepped back to unwind a large section and then ripped it off, holding the other corners. She wrapped the stuff clear around his thigh to form a waterproof barrier to keep the stitches dry.

"Alright, get in there," she ordered.

Daryl stood slowly and eyed her with slight confusion.

"You're not gonna join?" he asked with a cheeky smile. Carol laughed and, after hesitating for a moment, began removing her clothes. Once she had dropped everything off to the side in a pile, she stepped forward and slipped into the warmth of the water with him.

"Here," she whispered, handing him the bar of soap off the rack and a washcloth. He lathered up the cloth, but he surprised her by reaching out and running it gently down her shoulder and arm. She giggled "Hey, that was meant for you!"

"You've got one, haven't ya?" he asked raising an eyebrow at her. She shook her head with a smile and grabbed the soap from him, lathering up the cloth in her hand. She rubbed it firmly over his chest and his skin where she'd scrubbed became many shades lighter than the skin around it.

"You are so dirty," she said, turning the cloth to look at the dirt caked on the part she'd used.

"Trust me, I know," Daryl mumbled. He took a handful of water and let it run down over his right arm watching the dirty drips discolor the water where it ran off his wrist.

"I mean, you're exceptionally dirty," Carol clarified, "You're usually dirty, but this is ridiculous."

Daryl fell silent and Carol began to feel slightly uncomfortable under his stare as she scrubbed the dirt from his chest and torso then worked her way down his arms. She sighed as he started running the cloth in his hand down her right leg and back up again, brushing teasingly over her when he reached the top, the slight twitch of his lips at her surprised jerk made her realize he'd done it on purpose.

"Daryl," she reprimanded him, "Let's get this done, ok?"

Daryl face lost its amusement and fell into a disappointed look and Carol immediately felt bad that he'd taken it wrong.

"Because," she continued, "The sooner we get clean, the sooner we can get back to that bed and have a proper reunion."

She winked at him and he immediately began to scrub her faster, his eyes glittered with anticipation.

"Then c'mon, woman, let's get movin'!"

Carol laughed and reached out for a new washcloth since her first one was turning brown instead of the light blue it once was. She resoaped and got to work on his neck and face. She was very careful to avoid the plastic wrapped area when she scrubbed his lower half down and then she grabbed the shampoo to get that hair that she loved so much back into its clean, soft, grab-able state. He complained slightly as she worked the shampoo in because she tugged at it pretty roughly the first wash through, but the second wash had him closing his eyes and making soft little sounds as her finger massaged their way through his hair.

Finally, Carol reached behind her and pulled the plug, letting the water drain out as they stood and started drying off. Carol made him sit back down and she removed the plastic wrap to carefully clean around the stitches and only then was she satisfied and started dressing.

"I'll go get you some clean clothes," she said, picking the ruined jeans up gingerly. She held them at arm's length and made a disgusted face as she slipped out the bathroom door. She dropped them in the trash and was glad to see someone had brought in her box of stuff she'd packed just before she'd passed out. She grabbed the olive cargo pants with a smile and headed back to the bathroom.

"I don't know why I have to put these on," Daryl muttered as he pulled them up onto his hips and buttoned them. "Not like they're gonna be on for long."

Carol gave him a sly smile.

"Ever thought maybe I like taking them _off_ you?" she said with a wink. Daryl fell silent an didn't complain anymore.

As soon as he zipped them up, Carol grabbed his hand and tugged him out the door towards their room. He followed with a laugh and pushed the door shut behind him with his butt, stopping just long enough to turn and lock it before he grabbed Carol's shoulders and claimed her mouth with his.

Carol felt the desperation in his kiss, the pure need and a shock of desire shot through her from her core all the way to the tips of her fingers and toes and she slipped her hands into his still wet hair and took hold firmly, tugging it and earning a moan from Daryl into her mouth. She wanted nothing more than for him to throw her down on that bed and take her right now, rough, hard, fast...but she wasn't about to risk him overexerting himself while he was healing. With this in mind, she steeled herself and broke the kiss quickly, leaning away from him as he tried to reconnect.

"What's wrong?" he asked, disappointed.

"Lay down," Carol said softly, "Let me explain."

Daryl sighed heavily as she released his hair, but he sat down on the bed and then laid back, eyes never leaving hers. Carol climbed onto the bed after him and straddled his hips carefully, avoiding bumping into his thigh, she leaned down and kissed his chest gently.

"Daryl, you're recovering," she said softly, "You're not ready for what I know is running though your mind right now."

"But..." Daryl began to protest but she clamped a hand over his mouth.

"Just hush," she said, releasing his mouth and running her hands down his chest to his stomach.

"Then stop teasing, cause you're only making this harder," Daryl muttered.

"I can tell," Carol teased, feeling a completely different kind of hardness pressing hotly into where she straddled his hips. Daryl gave her a sheepish smile. "Don't worry, I wouldn't make promises I wouldn't keep."

"So..." Daryl started to question her but he fell silent when she lifted off his hip and pushed his knees apart so she could slip down in between them. "Oh...right..."

Carol giggled and popped the button of his cargos open as she kept her eyes locked on his, she saw an excited glint flash through them as his pupils started to dilate slightly. She pressed a kiss to his stomach just above the now opened button of his pants and pulled the zipper down at the same time, her lips going a little bit lower as she did. She felt him twitch under her chin where it pressed against him and she smiled into his skin.

"God, I missed you," she heard him whisper as she hooked her thumbs into the belt loops of his pants and pull them slowly down his hips. He sucked in a sharp breath when she'd pulled them low enough to release him from the confines of the material and the cool air of the room hit his skin. Carol peeled the pants off carefully and tossed them aside then looked up at him from where she rested her chin on his hipbone. He looked back down at her with a crooked smile and she smiled softly at him as she brought her hand up to take hold of him, earning her sigh and a small, sharp gasp and then a shaky exhale.

"I missed you too," she whispered, turning her head to press a light kiss to him at the base of his length where he hand wasn't covering.

"Yeah?" Daryl's voice was husky and Carol felt her stomach flip from the sound. She loved his sex voice, she could listen to it all day.

"Yeah," she replied, "I never thought I'd hear your voice again, never thought I'd kiss you again, never thought you'd hold me again...never thought I'd hold YOU again."

She gave him a squeeze to emphasize her point and she smiled as his head dropped back onto the pillow and he groaned softly.

"I don't think my leg's gonna be a problem," he tried to reason, "I promise I'll be careful, ok?!"

"Hush, Daryl," Carol said sternly, deciding it was probably best to stop teasing. "There's no need for you to do anything, ok?"

He raised his head and was about to say something when Carol ducked her head down and took him in her mouth, her tongue made a full circle around him and she felt his shoulders and head fall back onto the pillows from the small shake of the bed. She smiled, or at least her face muscles moved like she wanted to smile but that's hard to do with your mouth full. She looked up and saw his hands grip the sheets hard and pulled firmly as she moved her moth further down the length of him and she applied pressure with her tongue.

"Carol," she heard him whimper and she glanced up at him and he met her eyes.

"Mmm?" she mumbled, watching the way his face contorted with pleasure from the vibrations of her voice.

"You're fuckin' amazin'," Daryl said, his voice rumbled with something close to what Carol would call a purr...but like a tiger's purr.

Since she couldn't speak at the moment, she just sped up the bobbing of her head, taking him deeper every time as she let her throat muscles relax and fought her gag reflex as she took him all the way to the back of her throat. She was rewarded with a deep, guttural groan as Daryl's hips rose in response. She pulled back quickly as her throat threatened to gag but she didn't stop working with her tongue and she slightly grazed him with her bottom teeth as she moved slowly up him.

It wasn't long before he was panting and breathing hard, his hands had made their way into her hair and their grip there tightened as those panting breaths started to become punctuated with small whimpers and grunts and she moved her hands to cup his balls gently to feel just how close he really was.

"Fuck...Carol...don't..."

Yeah, he wasn't gonna last much longer. She looked up at him and locked her eyes with his and she saw there was hardly any color left there they were so dilated. She winked at him and started bobbing her head quicker than before, ignoring his warnings to back off.

"Carol! Shit. Shit. Shit!" 

If she hadn't been so focused on what she was doing, she would have laughed because by that last exclamation his voice had reached a high breathy squeak, but then she felt him tighten in her hand a split second before he twitched between her lips and she felt the hot, sticky liquid flood the back of her throat and she swallowed quickly but purposely held the rest in her cheek as a wicked idea came into her mind. She let him ride it out and waited patiently until he had stopped twitching and finally pulled away and leaned back onto her heels with her cheek puffed out obviously. He was still panting heavily but he pushed himself on his elbows shakily and met her eyes with disbelief, as soon as she was sure he realized her mouth was still full she dramatically swallowed with a loud gulp.

Daryl let out a loud groan and sunk back down onto the pillows and let out a heavy sigh. Carol giggled and laid down next to him, her fingertips tracing the hairs on his chin.

"Damn..." he breathed, "You're unbelievable."

"Not really," Carol said with a smile, "I just remember reading somewhere that it was sexy to swallow."

Daryl turned his head to looked at her, his eyebrow cocked.

"Actually, I'd rather you didn't," he said seriously, "I heard it can cause throat cancer."

"That's bullshit," Carol shot back, "Actually, it's a great source of protein."

Daryl's eyes widened and he burst into uncontrollable laughter, he laughed so hard he clutched his stomach and rolled onto his back to get a breath. Carol smiled, she loved his laugh.

"It's true," she said quietly as he tried to catch his breath.

"Sure it is, babes," Daryl chuckled, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

"Pretty bitter though," Carol commented offhandedly.

"Hush, woman, you're gonna make me sick," Daryl pulled her closed and she gasped as his hand slipped between her legs.

"Daryl..." she said warningly.

"Hey, you said I couldn't do anything exerting," he reasoned, pressing his forehead to hers, "Last time I looked my fingers weren't recovering from anything. Pretty sure they're in perfect condition."

Carol smiled softly as she relaxed her legs and let him push them apart. Heck, why would she want to stop him?


	35. Out Of The House

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Daryl goes stir crazy and Carol sneaks him out for some air...and other things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tip Your Waitress: ko-fi.com/panjamysy  
> Tumblr: solar-pxwered.tumblr.com

"DADDY!"

Daryl's eyes popped open as the shriek invaded his ears, he looked over in time to see Sophia charge through the door with Carol right behind her, smiling brightly. Sophia flung herself onto the bed and Daryl found himself pulled into a hug that couldn't quite make it around his shoulders, he grinned and wrapped his arms around the squealing body of Sophia.

"Hey there, peaches!" he said, pressing a kiss to Sophia's head and then resting his chin there as he closed his eyes to just savor the feeling of holding her close.

"Dad, I was so scared," Sophia claimed as she leaned back to look at him, "We thought you were..."

Daryl cut her off with a small smile and a shake of his head.

"Didn't I tell you both, I always come back?" he asked softly, something about these two girls brought out this side of him, the side he never let show to anyone else. "What's done is done, I'm home."

Sophia nodded and buried her face in his chest, curling her arms up between them. Daryl held her while his eyes focused on Carol who was standing next to the bed watching them with a smile on her face.

"C'mere," he whispered softly, and his heart skipped a beat when she focused that brilliant smile on him and him only then she stepped forward and slid onto the bed next to him. He pulled her to his side and kissed her lightly on the forehead and he squeezed Sophia's shoulder at the same time. "God, what have you two done to me?"

"What do you mean?" Carol asked, looking at him questioningly.

"You're turnin' me soft," Daryl muttered, rubbing his nose into her hair as he took in her scent. "I'm losin' my mean, racist redneck image 'cause of ya both."

"Naw, dad," Sophia stated, "You're still mean to everyone else."

He and Carol burst into uncontrollable laughter while Sophia looked at them like they were crazy.

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To say an injured Daryl Dixon was difficult would be a major understatement. He reminded Carol of a wolf with his paw caught in a trap, he snapped angrily at anyone who offered to do something for him, griped loudly when Herschel checked on him to see how he was healing, he cussed loudly whenever someone even hinted at bringing something TO him, he ALWAYS demanded he could get it himself and had hobbled down for breakfast, lunch and dinner every day. Once he had even snapped at Carol when she offered to bring him up dinner that first night, but she could tell he was very sorry for it from the way his face scrunched up pathetically and he mumbled his apology with his head hung in shame.

Carol decided after three days of him being cooped up in the house that it was time for him to get out. His fever had gone down, his color was coming back, the stitches were staying tightly closed and the infection was almost gone, but his spirits weren't any better. So that evening, before supper, she slipped into the room and slid on top of him with a grin, earning her a surprised but pleased smile in return.

"Well, hey there," he said quietly, lifting his shoulders to reach her lips with his.

"Hey," Carol replied softly, "How are you feeling tonight?"

"Up for anything," Daryl replied, rubbing into her hips with his.

Carol laughed and pushed off of him, standing up and grabbing his clothes off the dresser and tossing them to him.

"Get up, get dressed, we're getting you out of this sardine can!" she announced, pulling on her own coat.

Daryl wasted no time in complying, he stood quickly with a wince and very, VERY carefully pulled his cargos on over the bandages on his thigh then threw his shirt and jacket on with ease. Carol was at his side to support his weaker left leg and they wasted no more time before hobbling down to the first level of the house.

Carol stopped in the kitchen and grabbed the picnic basket full of dinner she and Beth had prepared then bid everyone goodnight as she gently tugged Daryl towards the door. He followed with a limp and a smile.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Daryl watched Carol flitting around like a nervous hummingbird with a crooked smile on his face. He had no clue what she had planned, but he had an idea he wasn't going to be disappointed.

"Stay here," she announced, leaving him on the porch. She went around the side of the house and he heard the rumble of an engine he knew very well a few moments before his truck rounded the corner and pulled to a stop in front of him. Carol was behind the driver's seat, beaming at him. "C'mon, slowpoke, get in!"

Daryl grinned widely at her before hobbling over and pulling himself into the cab.

"Where to?" he asked as she headed down the driveway.

How about that hayfield?" Carol asked. Daryl noticed that, before she pulled out of the driveway, she looked both ways and somehow that made him laugh. "What? Not a good idea?"

"No, no, it fine! I just...you're funny," Daryl explained lamely. _You are one smooth son of a bitch._

"Funny?" Carol cocked an eyebrow at him.

"Just...checkin' both ways 'fore ya pull out," Daryl tried to explain the humor. Carol smiled.

"I guess that IS pretty pointless these days," she agreed with a giddy giggle.

 _She's giggling like a teenager going parkin' for the first time._ Daryl mused in silence as he watched her out of the corner of his eye. Her hands had a tight grip on the steering wheel and she was biting her lower lip...did she have a clue what she did to him even when she didn't mean to? That lip biting was driving him crazy!

"So..." he ventured, looking out the window to avoid watching her maul that damn lip. "What's yer plan?"

She just giggled again and Daryl rolled his eyes with a smile. She wasn't going to tell him shit, he could tell.

Finally, she pulled off into the hayfield Daryl remembered well. He smiled at the memory of her face when he'd asked that question that had scared him shitless and he smiled lightly when he remembered her answer. She cut the engine before he even realized they'd stopped and he jerked slightly and turned his head to look at her but she was already halfway out of the door so he slipped out of his side carefully to follow. Not that he had to go far, just the back of the truck.

"Come on," she said happily as she lowered the tailgate. Inside was a setup much like his had been last time he brought her out here, a makeshift bed of sleeping bags and blankets with thermoses and the picnic basket off to the side. Daryl considered for a moment how to get up there with his leg in this condition and then settled for sitting and pulling his legs up after him. As soon as he'd settled back, Carol's mouth was covering his and he sucked in a sharp, surprised breath.

"Good Lord, woman," he said when she broke the kiss, "What are ya doin' t' me?"

"I just assumed you wanted out of the house," Carol explained, "I know you hate being stuck inside."

"Well, you're damn right," he assured her, pressing a light kiss to her lips. "I was goin' crazy."

"I could tell," Carol said with a wink, "You were getting pretty cranky."

"I'm sorry I snapped at ya th'other day," Daryl whispered as he began littering her face with quick, gentle kisses. "I felt like a complete ass, just so ya know."

"I know, I forgive you," Carol whispered back, lifting her chin to give him access to her throat which he immediately claimed with lips, tongue and teeth. He felt her shiver in his arms and he wondered again, for the hundredth time, what the Hell an angel like this was doing with him.

"Stop it," Carol giggled and leaned away from him, moving to the side and out of his arms. She grabbed the thermoses and basket of food and moved to sit cross legged next to him. Daryl smiled and sat up with a wince as pain jolted up his leg, but he didn't let it show for fear Carol would change her mind and take him back for more fuckin' rest! She handed him a plate and started piling it with mashed potatoes, cattail roots and a piece of pork that Daryl assumed came from the boar he'd killed months ago as well as a thermos of...good Lord in Heaven, hot chocolate.

They ate in relative silence, Carol's eyes fixed on the horizon as she watched the sun setting behind the trees that surrounded the field and Daryl's eyes focused on her face as the sunset bathed her skin in shades of gold and pink. He thought maybe, just maybe, he'd never seen her look more beautiful as that moment and he cringed inwardly when he felt himself go slightly hard. God, why could he not just admire her without wanting to jump her? It made him feel like total ass!

"Penny for your thoughts," Carol said quietly, cutting into his self reprimand.

"Penny's are worthless now." Daryl chuckled darkly.

"Then...a kiss for your thoughts?" she tried to sweeten the deal.

Daryl looked down at where his hands were twisting and fidgeting in front of him and cleared his throat. He wasn't going to lie...but he didn't want to sound like an asshole either.

"C'mon, Daryl," Carol whispered, leaning forward to lessen the space between them. Daryl gulped and forced himself to stop fidgeting and looked up at her nervously.

"I was just thinkin'..." he started slowly, "Does it...bother you that I can't keep my hands off you? I just wonder if I ever make you feel...cheap?"

Carol's eyes widened and Daryl dropped his eyes and his head in embarrassment, he ran a hand over his face and sighed heavily. That was it...she was going to think he was an ass.

"Daryl," Carol's voice was soft and he felt her fingers slip under his chin, lifting it to make him meet her eyes. "Where did you EVER get an idea like that?"

"Just...I can't even...everything you do just make me wanna..." he tried to put it into words without sounding vulgar, but it just wasn't working.

"Wanna what?" Carol pressed.

"Wanna..." he wracked his brains for something less...crude, but he finally gave up. "Fuck you!"

"Hey, what did I do?!" Carol jerked back, hurt flashing in her eyes.

It took Daryl a moment to register what that must have sounded like.

"No, no...I mean that's what I wanna do to ya!" he clarified desperately, "I can't look at ya hardly without wanting to jump ya!"

Carol burst out laughing and took his face between her hands and leaned in, pressing a kiss on the end of his nose. _Well...that's different._

"Daryl Dixon!" she giggled, "You're ridiculous! That doesn't make me feel cheap at all, if anything it makes me feel...amazing! I've never had someone want me so bad...and I'm always surprised that you do!"

Daryl's eyes softened and he smiled, turning his head slightly to press a kiss to her wrist. She smiled back at him and released her hold on his face.

"Girl, how could I NOT want ya?" he whispered, locking his gaze with hers. "Yer...fuckin' beautiful for one thing, but yer smart and yer brave and yer wonderful. It ain't right that ya don't realize what I do about ya."

"Same goes for you," Carol stated firmly.

Daryl blushed and looked away, eyes focused on a haybale to his right side.

"I don't deserve ya," he said quietly.

"So what if you don't?" Carol stated firmly, Daryl looked back at her in surprise when she didn't flat out deny it. "You don't get to make that decision, it's MY choice and I decided you're damn well good enough for me. Stop putting yourself down and fuckin' kiss me!"

Daryl was taken by surprise at her use of "fuck", Carol wasn't a "fuck" kind of girl but he kind of liked the sound of that filthy word on her lips and the corner of his mouth lifted in a smirk.

"Alright, geez!" he joked as he leaned over to reach her mouth, she accommodated for his injury by climbing onto his hips and pulling him close by the material of his jacket. Daryl felt a spark jump from his lips to his crotch as soon as they connected and he unashamedly bucked into her slightly, ignoring the pain in his leg when he did. Their tongues began dancing that familiar tango and Daryl let her lead for quite a while before he gripped her by the hair and tilted her head back to begin his exploration of her neck. He felt her shudder under his lips and he smiled into her skin as he made a painfully slow trail from the hollow of her throat to the boney prominence behind her right ear, his tongue snaked out to trace the edge of her earlobe and he felt her fingers press into his chest as she sucked in a gasp. God, he loved those little sounds she made and, even more, he loved that HE was the one to make them come out of her.

"How long did Herschel say it would take for your leg to heal?" Carol whispered suddenly, Daryl didn't stop his nips and licks but mumbled the answer of "'bout two weeks" into the base of her neck as he began moving down to her chest.

Carol suddenly gripped him by the hair and pulled him back to meet her eyes.

"That's too damn long..." she moaned sadly, her hips moved back and forth purposely as she said it and Daryl had to close his eyes for a moment to regain his focus on what she was saying to him. "As soon as Herschel gives the ok, you better take me harder than you've ever dared before."

Those words hit Daryl like a wave of awesomeness and he claimed her mouth again, this time almost painfully as he bit down on her bottom lip and pulled it as he backed off, letting it go and then returning to delve his tongue forcefully into her mouth. He felt like he was losing his mind.

Carol suddenly pushed against his chest hard and he backed off to look at her questioningly. She giggled and pressed a finger to his lips, he looked guiltily at her bottom lip where he'd bit her because it looked a bit swollen...

"Not yet, crazy boy!" she said with a smile, "I said WHEN you're healed."

"Just...practicing..." Daryl replied lamely, he leaned back on his palms.

Carol's grin made him catch his breath for a moment and the next thing he knew her hands were sliding purposely down his chest, her eyes were locked on his and were filled with intention. Daryl gulped audibly as her fingers began tracing the line of hair leading into his pants and he let his eyes fall closed as he savored the sensation that seemed to branch out over his skin from her fingertips and pool deep inside.

"Look at me, Daryl," Carol's voice was stern and Daryl opened his eyes in surprise at her tone and found her only inches from his face, her green eyes bored into his. "Don't close them again."

She accentuated her words by undoing his belt and yanking it quickly out of the loops, the leather made a slick sound as it came off easily and she grinned down at him, her eyes glittering in the gathering darkness.

"Fuck me..." Daryl breathed in disbelief, more of a swear than a request.

"I intend to...as soon as possible," Carol's voice was teasing as she popped the button of his pants open and slid the zipper down without hesitation and Daryl swallowed hard as she slid her hand under the material tantalizingly slow. He kept his eyes locked with hers, afraid of what she would do if he looked away or let them drop closed like they so wanted to do.

It seemed to Daryl that a lifetime passed before her fingers finally wrapped around his length and he sucked a hissing breath in between his clenched teeth and let it out slowly in a low whistle as that white hot jolt of first connection shot through every single nerve ending he possessed. His eyelids fluttered closed for a brief second before he forced them open to meet her fierce gaze.

"Do you have a single, tiny doubt about how I feel about you?" he heard her whisper and he blinked rapidly as his brain tried to decipher the meaning of the seemingly pointless words, finally they clicked.

"Carol...no, I don't doubt it," he mumbled huskily, "I just don't always understand why you do."

Carol sighed heavily and growled a little and Daryl regretted his words immediately. _Nice job, you idiot! Way to kill the moment!_

"I'm sorry..." Daryl whispered apologetically, praying silently she would forget he'd said anything and move on.

"Daryl..." Carol seemed to be searching for the right words, but her grip on him didn't lesson...thankfully. "I know how you feel. It's hard for me to accept how much you love me too...neither of us have much experience with it, do we?"

Daryl had to agree with that logic...he wasn't even sure where the ability for _him_ to love came from to be honest. He didn't realize he was capable of so much emotion until this woman came along and changed his entire world.

"No, I guess we don't," he agreed quietly, bringing his right hand up to cup her chin. He gave her a twitchy smile. "But...we're learnin'."

"Yes, we are," Carol whispered softly, her fingers slid slowly up him and he bit down on his bottom lip to keep the moan he felt rise in his throat from coming out too loudly, he noticed Carol's mouth twitched in the corner and he suddenly felt self conscious about the noises that were threatening to issue from his mouth.

Carol seemed to notice his discomfort.

"You look nervous," she observed, "Daryl...come on, what's up?"

"Well...you want the obvious answer?" Daryl joked, smirking at her as his eyes darted between her face and her hand where it gripped him.

Carol giggled and leaned forward to press a soft kiss to his cheek and then she unstraddled him, pulling the material of his cargos quickly, but carefully down his legs and tossed them to the side. She gently nudged his knees apart to make room to slide in between them. Her green gaze flitted back up to his face and Daryl felt his lips twitch into a small smile automatically as she smiled softly up at him. There was just something about the wicked contrast of her beautiful, sweet face and the very dirty deed she was about to do that created a deep boiling sensation in the lowest part of his insides and made his mind go fuzzy.

When Carols' tongue flicked out Daryl thought his brain was going to explode and his eyes closed automatically until he remembered he was suppose to keep them open. He blinked firmly once, twice and then looked up at the sky where the stars were just starting to pop out of the twilight as Carol's lips wrapped around him and slid slowly down as she took him in. Daryl fought his breathing into submission for a moment until he felt the pressure of her tongue and the roof of her mouth constrict around him and his lungs seemed to stop working along with all rational thought as his jaw dropped open and his eyes lost the fight to remain open. He let his head roll back as the pressure released and then returned just as quickly, not giving a flying fuck at how many sounds he let out at this point.

The familiar dull burn started to build up like a coiled spring inside him as Carol's mouth worked some sort of unholy magic around him and, as his mind sparked in and out, he was vaguely aware that he was panting heavily like some sort of heat stroked lion and he almost laughed until another jolt of unbelievable goodness shot through him and he let his upper half lay back completely and reached down to twist the fingers of his left hand in Carol's shaggy, graying hair while his right hand clutched the blankets in a death grip.

The best thing about this damn leg was that...there was no point in holding back because he _knew_ this was all he was gonna get. This is why only moments later he felt that warm tightening in his balls and that tingly sensation along the entire length of him as the initial wave of what promised to be a very strong orgasm washed over him. He sucked in a quivering breath released it with a shuddering whimper before it crashed into him and every single thought and sense left him and all there was were the crushing waves pounded him repeatedly.

When they faded and his brain started getting back it's blood supply, he found Carol was already curled up on his chest, smiling.

"You swear a lot," she said simply, "That was a pretty long string of cussing there, Mr. Dixon."

"Sorry," Daryl muttered, not truly sorry at all, "Didn't even know I was."

"That good, huh?" Carol looked pleased as punch.

"Oh, fuck yeah," Daryl breathed out quietly, "That was...exceptionally good."

Carol's grin would have given the Cheshire Cat a run for his money and Daryl felt like it was about to time to wipe that smirk of her face.

"Get off," he said firmly, locking eyes with her so she could see he wasn't joking. Her expression changed to one of confusion but she rolled off of him anyway. Daryl very carefully shifted onto his right side and then pushed himself up on his palms as he swung his right leg over her left, pinning her with his weight but not enough to hurt her at all.

"Daryl..." Carol looked unsure, "We can't, you know that Herschel..."

"Hush," Daryl covered her mouth with his to cut her off because his hands were still holding his weight, then he pulled back and looked down at her with a look that clearly said _Shut up and let me explain._ "I know my limits, ok? Don't worry, I ain't gonna overdo anything."

"Anythang?" Carol giggled under him, he rolled his eyes at her obvious butchering of his drawl.

"You ain't gonna be so cocky soon enough," he promised just before he pressed his lips to her collarbone, his left hand sliding up under her shirt. He then stopped and rolled back onto his right side to give her space to peel the top off and unhook her bra, she went the extra mile by shimmying out of her jeans to save him the trouble. Daryl's eyes raked unashamedly over her bare form and he smiled as he rolled back on top of her. His mouth started making a purposeful trail down her chest and stomach, his eyes locked on hers as he worked his way down.

Carol had told him once that she was amazed at the things he could do with his tongue and he grinned into her skin as he reached her hips, she hadn't seen nothin' yet! Something about that thought made him bite her hip firmly as he passed over the bone and she yelped slightly before he pressed a soft, soothing kiss to the red mark he'd left. She wasn't fooling him though, she loved it, she'd told him. He loved that about her, he never had to second guess himself because she fuckin' told him exactly what she liked! Every girl should do that...makes a guy feel like he's not a complete idiot when it comes to pleasin' his woman.

By the time all this had run though his mind he had reached his destination and he smiled at her from his spot between her thighs and pressed a kiss to the inside of her right one. She was staring down at him with dilated eyes and she was biting that damn lip again, hell if he didn't feel a twitch between his legs. So much for that recovery period...

Finally, he decided to stop the teasing and he flicked his tongue out experimentally against her. Her reaction was priceless, she jerked violently and let out a sharp little gasp as her eyes widened and Daryl was greatly encouraged by it. Throwing slow and easy to the wind, Daryl moved forward and clamped his lips down on that mysterious little nub that drove her absolutely insane and sucked hard, earning him a buck of her hips that only brought him closer to her so he grinned before sliding his tongue inside her, twisting it like some sort of freaking expert.

After a bit of this, Daryl's ears were filled with the sweet sounds of Carol's moans and squeaks that he absolutely _loved_. She had threaded her hands into his hair at one point and he felt the sting of her tugging on it so he growled into her as he raised his head slightly, looking up at her with a glare.

"Fuckin' hurts, Carol..." he reminded her. Yeah, truth be told he loved when she tugged his hair and would be fine if she did that all day long but, damn, the woman got to downright _pulling_ it and it lost the good feel and started getting painful.

"Sorry," Carol's response was breathy and quiet, but her grip relaxed and he went back to work. He wondered vaguely what she ate so much of to make her taste like she did...he'd heard once that whatever women ate a lot of effected their taste. But that though was cut short when Carol let out a particularly loud moan and he saw her stomach muscles twitch. He backed off and moved up her stomach to lean over her as he slipped two fingers inside her, wasting no time in teasing.

"Shit, Daryl!" Carol squealed as her hand slipped down to his neck, trying to pull him to her. He shook his head and pulled back, keeping his eyes locked on hers as he curled his fingers toward her bellybutton, watching the way her face twisted and her mouth opened slightly to suck in more air as her breathing quickened. Hell...it was _almost_ as satisfying to just watch her going over the edge as it was to join her...almost.

It didn't take long for Carol to start bucking wildly against his hand, her choked voice begging him not to stop...like he had _any_ intention of fuckin' stopping! He smiled at her as she started gasping his name quietly, then increasingly louder as she reached the edge. Finally, he felt her muscles clench on his fingers and spasm and he ducked his head to capture her lips to quiet the scream he knew was coming, Carol was a damn screamer...

Daryl pumped his fingers slowly until she ridden out the entirety of her release and then removed them slowly. She looked up at him with a dreamy expression and he winked at her as he sucked his fingers clean.

"You're gross," she giggled, smacking his hand away from his mouth.

"You taste like apples," Daryl replied with a grin.

Carol blushed, he wasn't sure how she could still blush after everything they'd done since they got together the first time but she did.

"Well...they're pretty abundant back on the farm," she reasoned, "I've been eating them all week. Can't seem to get enough of them, you know? I mean I'm not going to look a gift horse in the mouth..."

Daryl rolled his eyes as she went on and on about the apples she, Maggie, Beth and Jimmy had picked last week and let her have her say. She always got really nervously gabby after sex...

"Woman, hush yer mouth," he finally laughed, pressing his hand over her mouth.

He felt the wet warmth of her tongue slip over his palm and he pulled it away with a smile.

"You know somethin'?" he whispered as he rolled off to the side to look up at the stars, Carol scooted over and rested her head in the crook of his arm.

"Hmm?" she mumbled.

"I'm damn glad ya decided to get me outta the house."


	36. Huntress

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Daryl takes Sophia hunting and is impressed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tip Your Waitress: ko-fi.com/panjamysy  
> Tumblr: solar-pxwered.tumblr.com

_**Two Weeks Later** _

Carol felt someone shaking her shoulder and she almost threw a punch before she realized it wasn't a walker touching her but just Daryl.

"Carol," he whispered in the darkness, "I'm goin' hunting and I'm taking Sophia with me."

"Mmm?" Carol groaned and rolled over to look at him, but it was too dark to see until her eyes adjusted. He was on one knee next to her and Sophia stood behind him with her bow in hand. "Mm, ok, have fun you two. Be safe."

Daryl smiled and nodded, leaning down to press a soft kiss to Carol's cheek before he went to do his perimeter check. When he was satisfied all was clear he called for Sophia and they set off towards the woods for her first tracking lesson. Daryl had chosen today specifically because it had snowed a little bit the night before so tracks would be very obvious.

Sophia, he noticed, was an excellent hunting companion. She was quiet and never talked out loud, but communicated with expression, hand motions and whispers. She tread lightly, Daryl noted as they picked their way through the trees on the trail of what Sophia had called "Wolf tracks" which were actually coyote tracks. Coyote fur would be useful with the snow now starting to fall, gloves, hats...warmth, in general.

He'd persuaded Sophia in leaving Lulu back in the tent with Carol, he'd felt a lot better about leaving his little family alone when he was out hunting if Lulu was there with them when he left, the bobcat had become very loyal to the three of them, even him now that he'd spent more time with her, and he knew she'd tear apart anything that tried to harm them. Plus, hunting with Lulu tagging along was a joke, everything ran from her and could smell her coming a mile away.

Suddenly, Daryl caught a slight movement ahead and he dropped into a crouch, feeling a jolt of pride as Sophia dropped down as well without a word, her blue eyes locked straight ahead and he knew she saw it too, a grayish brown tail sticking out slightly from behind a bush across the stream. Daryl motioned for her to stop moving and they stayed crouched in silence, waiting for the coyote to make the first move.

Daryl watched the coyote carefully, but glanced over at Sophia once in a while, admiring the way she froze like a statue, not even shaking for the effort of staying in a crouch or breathing hard or nothin', her eyes on the prize and an arrow in her hand ready to be nocked.

_That's my girl._

Daryl smiled slightly before he caught her attention and silently slid over to her side.

"Take it," he said quietly, motioning for her to take control of this hunt. Sophia looked at him wide eyed but nodded almost imperceptivity. She remained where she was for a while longer and then completely shocked him by letting out a sharp barking sound, Daryl glanced over where the tail had now disappeared and watched in awe as the coyote came out, eyes scanning the area warily. It yipped back, as if trying to get a reply and Daryl held his breath as Sophia nocked her arrow when the coyote jumped and looked behind him where a squirrel had run down a tree, the coyote's hackles lowered when it spotted the squirrel and Sophia took the split second before it turned to look back in their direction to rise and aim, she took a steadying breath and blew it out slowly as she released the string and sent the arrow flying.

For a moment, Daryl though she'd done it, but then the coyote sniffed nonchalantly at the arrow quivering in the log next to it and loped off without a care. Daryl sighed as he watched it go and then looked at Sophia, she was staring where the coyote had been and he noticed her bottom lip beginning to quiver and her eyes starting to squint.

"Hey, hey, hey, none of that!" he said quickly, kneeling in front of her. He took her small face in his hands and stared into her eyes, which were brimming with tears. _Has she always been this small and fragile?_ "Ya can't get 'em all."

Sophia nodded but didn't look at all comforted and Daryl wracked his brains for something to say to make it better.

"Sophia, ya did awesome," he blurted, "Ya were a natural! You've got the makings of a huntress, kid, and I'm proud o' ya."

Sophia's eyes raised up from where they'd dropped down to stare at her feet and they were filled with some emotion Daryl found himself a little uncomfortable with.

"Really?" she whispered, unsure, "You're...you're proud of me?"

And that's when he realized...had Ed ever even given her a second glance? He never thought about the fact that Sophia had just as many daddy issues as he had! She'd probably never had a grown man be proud of her, let alone her dad. _You're her dad now...ya gotta remember that!_

"Yeah, peaches," Daryl found himself saying, "I am."

"But I missed it..." Sophia said hesitantly, "You're not mad that I wasted our time we spent tracking and waiting?"

Daryl shook his head and smiled slightly, feeling his face soften at her worries.

"Sophia, this hunting trip is about learning," he explained, "Why d'ya think I asked you to come along? Ya gotta get some experience under your belt."

Sophia nodded firmly, her eyes taking on a determined look.

"I'm gonna be the best damn hunter in this group, dad!" she said excitedly, "Well...not as good as you..."

"You can be better than me if ya put yer mind to it," he encouraged her. He patted her shoulders and stood up, nodding for her to follow. "C'mon, there's more game in these woods than just that damn coyote."

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Carol was sitting on the RV with Andrea keeping her company on watch when they spotted Daryl and Sophia returning for their hunt. Lulu took off at a run across the field as soon as she smelled them approaching and Carol watched in amusement as Daryl held the string of small game up high so the bobcat couldn't get at them. Sophia scratched her pet behind the ears and then took off running toward the RV, holding something furry high.

"Mom! Mom! Look what I got!" she yelled happily, "It's a rabbit! I shot it!"

Carol laughed when Sophia climbed the ladder and dropped the bloody animal by her side. Carol picked it up by the ears and smiled.

"Sophia! Good job!" she stated, "You're going to be a great hunter!"

"That's what dad said," Sophia said with pride, her chest stuck out a little. Daryl climbed up behind Sophia on the ladder and leaned forward, smushing her into the side of the RV.

"Ya'll seen a skinny little blonde girl?" Daryl asked teasingly as Sophia struggled to climb up the ladder to get out from under him, "I swear she was just here but she's so damn sneaky sometimes that...oh, there she is!"

Sophia plopped onto the roof when Daryl leaned back slightly, giggling like crazy.

"How was the hunt?" Carol asked him with a smile.

"Excellent!" Daryl claimed, winking at Sophia, "We got ourselves a little huntress here. She's got the basic skills already, she just needs a little practice and she'll be giving me a run fer my money."

"I've been watching you, dad, that's how I know what to do," Sophia stated brightly. Carol noticed Daryl's expression falter and he looked unsure for a moment.

"Hey, 'Fia," she said, "Why don't you take your rabbit and show Carl? I bet he'll be excited!"

"Yeah! You're right!" Sophia jumped up, "Can I get down, dad?"

Daryl climbed up and moved to the side so Sophia would get down the ladder and he watched her as she ran off with a thoughtful look on his face.

"You alright, Daryl?" Carol asked softly, "You look a little...worried."

"She's been watching me that close?" Daryl muttered quietly.

"I guess so," Carol said, not sure what the problem with that was.

"I really need to be more careful what I do, huh?" Daryl's voice was small and ashamed sounding.

Carol smiled and leaned over to press a kiss to his hair.

"It's scary being a parent, isn't it?" she asked softly. Daryl just nodded. "But I know you're gonna do a great job at it."

Daryl turned his head to look at her and Carol felt her breath catch when he locked eyes with her.

"I'm gonna do my damnedest," he said seriously.

"Sorry to interrupt," Andrea stated suddenly, "But Herschel said he wants to see you, Daryl."

Daryl groaned and ran his hand through his hair nervously.

"A'right," he growled and swung onto the ladder and made his way down it quickly.

"Hope it's good news," Carol called after him and he turned to give her a cheeky grin and a two fingered salute before he trotted to the house.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------

Carol waited impatiently for him to come back and her heart jumped into her throat when she saw him emerge from the house and trot back towards the RV with a skip in his step every few feet, he was grinning like crazy and wasted no time in climbing up and grabbing Carol by the wrist, tugging firmly.

"Andrea," he said quickly, "If Sophia is looking for us, we'll be back later. Keep her here, please?"

Andrea rolled her eyes with a smile, but she nodded and waved her hand in a 'Get out of here' way.

"Alright, you two, have fun. Maybe not _too_ much fun though."

Daryl grinned wickedly at that and Carol felt her stomach flip in anticipation as she followed him down the ladder. As soon as her feet hit the ground, Daryl yanked her by the arm and she had to practically run to keep up with him as he directed her towards their tent across the field.

"Daryl," she giggled at his hurry, "I take it Herschel cleared you?"

"Yep," was the only reply she got, but it was enough for her.

When they reached the tent he almost literally pushed her inside but he didn't fail to do his usual walker check before he slipped inside after her, zipping the flap behind him. Carol was sitting cross-legged on the sleeping bags and she bounced with eagerness when he turned around and caught her in his stare and closed the distance between them with one single step. She looked up at him as he towered over her and smiled softly when he got down on his knees to be on her level, his hands slid from her wrists up her arms, his right went to the back of her head and pulled her towards him as his tongue flicked out to lick his lips before he pressed them to hers firmly. Carol grinned into his mouth before reciprocating and her fingers clutched the material of his shirt over his chest firmly as she savored the feeling and taste of his mouth as he slowly drove her crazy with it. This man...it wasn't fair how helpless she was to resist him when he got it in his mind to kiss her, he was so good at it and Carol almost laughed when she imagined how jealous every female on this farm would be if they had any clue just HOW good he was.

Daryl broke the kiss suddenly and leaned his forehead into hers, his breathing was quick and he stared at her from under the hair that had begun to hang in his eyes recently.

"Carol," he said quietly, and she sensed a question in his tone...almost like he was afraid to ask it.

"Mm?" Carol murmured back, her hands had slowly made their way up under the material of his shirt during the previous moments and she now started twisting the soft curls of his chest hair between her fingers, tugging ever so slightly.

"Were you serious about what you told me that night in the truck?" Daryl's voice was getting thicker and deeper by the minute, she noticed. But she wasn't sure exactly what he was asking.

"What did I say?" she asked, moving her fingers from his collarbones down to the flat expanse of his abdomen, tracing his hipbones which she noticed were becoming more prominent every week.

"Ya said..." he hesitated when her hands slid around him and slid into the back of his cargos and gripped his ass tight. "Mm, ya said ya wanted me t'...take ya harder than ever."

Suddenly Carol DID remember making that request and she grinned.

"I was completely serious," she whispered, flicking her tongue out to trace his left ear.

"I...fuck...I wanna but I don't think it's a good idea," Daryl muttered, his eyes dropped closed as Carol's tongue slid along the skin of his neck, just under his ear. "I don't wanna hurt ya."

Carol pulled back and locked him in a stern look.

"Daryl," she said firmly, "Shut up and stop second guessing everything. I MEANT what I said!"

That was obviously all the incentive he needed because Carol suddenly found herself on her back with him pressed on top of her, pressing her firmly down as he sucked the skin of her neck into his mouth and sucked it hard. She was going to have a very noticeable hickey in the morning, no doubt.

She didn't have time to think before she was pulled back into a sitting position and he yanked her shirt off over her head, tossing it aside carelessly and unhooked her bra faster than she thought possible, flicking it away. Then he did something Carol hadn't expected, he gripped her sides and spun her to where her back was pressed into his chest and he leaned her over till she was on her hands and knees. He reached around her to undo the button and zipper of her jeans before he yanked them down unceremoniously, pushing her flat on her stomach as he pulled them completely off.

Carol twisted her head to look at him and saw he was unbuttoning his cargos, but not taking them off. But Carol didn't get much of a view before he lay half on top of her, his lower half pressed firmly into her lower back and ass to keep her pinned, but his chest remained off of her back and his hands gripped her wrists firmly, holding them on either side of her head as he braced his weight on his palms. She felt his knees nudge into her thighs and sucked in a deep breath when he pushed her legs to where thighs almost made a ninety degree angle to her hips, she felt like a frog in mid swim and also felt utterly exposed...

Before she could even comprehend what was happening, Daryl slammed into her with a force she'd never experienced with him before and a jolt of pain shot through her before she caught her breath. She'd never felt so completely filled before and she bit her bottom lip to keep the sharp cry she felt rise in her throat from coming out. She took a deep breath and was very glad he wasn't moving on top of her so she could get her bearings. She had to admit, this was a whole lot less comfortable than she'd thought...and unwanted memories of Ed dominating her much like this came to her mind. But, no, Daryl wasn't going to hurt her like Ed had, he'd never push her beyond her limits. Never.

When he finally started moving in and out of her, she closed her eyes and ignored the hip cramp she was developing as she listened to the sound of Daryl's heavy, panting breaths and savored the heat from said breathing on her skin as his nose slid along the back of her neck with each thrust. She dug her fingernails into the material of the sleeping bags beneath her and she felt Daryl's fingers intertwine with hers as his lips skimmed along the back of her ear.

"You alright?" he whispered at one point and she'd gasped out a small 'yes' before his next thrust cut off her breath again. He seemed encouraged and his pace had increased as well as the force behind them. Carol let out a gasp and she felt Daryl's grip on her hands lessen and he backed off, pulling out of her completely as he readjusted her onto her knees, giving her hips a rest. But he was back in her in a flash, and his thrusts picked up to a speed Carol hadn't known was possible and she felt that bubbling heat inside growing at an alarming rate, the sounds of Daryl's frenzied grunts and panting only fueled the fire! She was about to say that she was close when suddenly Daryl's mouth clamped down firmly on the crook of her neck and shoulder and she felt his teeth sink into her skin as a growl issued from his throat that seemed to rip through his entire body as he completely came apart, every muscle in his body jerked and rippled from the force of the orgasm that crashed into him. Carol ignored the pain in her shoulder as she tumbled over the edge with him, a long, shuddering moan came out of her that she had no control over and she felt that familiar dull warmth spread through her body as her muscles gave out.

But instead of falling onto her face like she expected when she let her body go limp, she felt herself being pulled back and she found herself leaning back into Daryl's still heaving chest. She sighed and relaxed in his lap as his lips littered her hair with kisses.

"God..." he mumbled gruffly, "I love you so much."

Carol let out a long "Mmmm" and nuzzled her nose into the side of his neck. She felt his fingertips slide over the spot where he'd bitten her and she felt the muscles of his face twitch and she knew he was making that face he did when he was sorry.

"Didn't realize I bit ya that hard," he muttered darkly, "I'm sorry, Carol. That was an ass move."

Carol giggled and grabbed his hand to press a kiss to his palm.

"Yeah, it wasn't very nice of you," she admitted, "But I love you anyway."

She felt his mouth twitch into a smile and heard him yawn, his chest rose and she was pushed forward with it. She found herself needing to yawn too and she moaned sadly.

"It's the middle of the afternoon," she pointed out, "We can't sleep."

"We can take a nap, Carol," Daryl stated as he pulled her down next to him so he could curl around her, "Andrea's watching Sophia, remember? We've got time to ourselves."

Carol smiled, glad to have a friend like Andrea...and even more glad to have a man like Daryl.


	37. The Bloody Nose

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which emotions run high and good sense does not.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tip Your Waitress: ko-fi.com/panjamysy  
> Tumblr: solar-pxwered.tumblr.com

Daryl had no idea what he was walking into when he arrived back on the farm after an unsuccessful hunt, but if he had known he definitely would have turned right back around and tried again for that reclusive buck he'd been after.

The minute he rounded the corner of the barn he heard the voices, angry and raised. He stopped in his tracks on the driveway and cocked his head to listen, trying to identify the voices. Rick...Lori...oh, good grief...Carol. Immediately his hackles raised and he strode forward at an increased pace, a steady, determined and angry stride. Carol must have spotted him coming because she started towards him with an angry stride of her own.

Daryl wasn't quite sure what to expect, but this was not it. As Carol neared he saw her eyes were squinted with anger and she was glowering...at HIM! Immediately, his strut slowed and became unsure just before she reached him. Before he knew it she was standing in front of him, her finger pointing accusingly in his face just inches from his nose, her other hand on her hip which was popped to the side. He would have thought it was cute if he had any clue what she was pissed about. Lori and Rick were right behind Carol and their voices soon joined in the fray as curious onlookers poked their head around the RV and out the house windows.

"You're a terrible influence!" That was Lori.

"You need to get onto her!" That was Carol.

"I want answers and I want them NOW!" That was Rick.

Finally, after taking a few steps back and glancing at each of his accusers with wide and terrified eyes, Daryl collected himself and stood his ground with clenched fists.

"SHUT THE FUCK UP, ALL OF YOU!" he hollered at the top of his lungs. They did, eyes wide and suddenly looking slightly deflated.

Daryl sighed heavily and ran a hand through his hair in frustration.

"Now, can we all calm down and talk one at a time?" he growled, "And please explain to me what the hell is going on here!"

"That daughter of yours!" Lori snapped first, her eyes were blazing and Daryl saw her hand twitch like she was itching to slap him...or someone. "She broke my son's nose!"

"She did NOT, Lori, stop over exaggerating!" Carol sounded exasperated and Daryl almost pulled her to his side away from Lori but she didn't look very happy with him either.

"Well he was bleeding like a stuck pig!" Lori yelled back, getting right in Carol's face. Rick took her shoulders and pulled her back, thankfully, because Daryl was VERY close to shoving the woman away from Carol. The enraged brunette pointed a finger in his direction. "This is your doing, Daryl Dixon!"

"I'm still not sure exactly what it is I'm responsible for," Daryl mumbled, seriously considering turning and running back to the words.

"Daryl," Rick's voice was angry, Daryl could tell, but at least he kept his cool and tried to explain, "Your daughter got into a fight with my son over something or other and she punched him in the face. Now we've taught Carl never to hit a girl and we both fully expect you to teach that girl some manners herself and we expect an apology from her as well."

Daryl had to fight back the laugh that was threatening to rise in his throat. Swallowing it down, he took a deep breath and let out a long sigh.

"Kids fight, ya'll, it's just one o' those things, and it'll blow over."

"You are NOT just gonna let this go!" Lori shrieked, the pitch of it literally hurt Daryl's ears and he flinched. Carol must have noticed because she slipped in between her and him, green eyes flashing.

"This is NOT Daryl's fault, bitch!" she said fiercely, Lori and Rick's faces were stunned. "WE will handle our daughter, I suggest you go get your son's side of the story."

Daryl had been proud of Carol many, many time but this took the cake. It was all he could do not to wrap her in his arms and tell her she was amazing, but he fought the urge and satisfied himself by watching Lori and Rick walk away in an angry fluster. Carol sighed and turned around slowly to face him.

"Daryl, this does not let you off the hook," she said coldly.

"How exactly is this my fault?" Daryl asked, genuinely confused.

"She looks up to you," Carol explained, her anger starting to fade now that Lori and Rick were gone. "She won't talk to me right now but I know she'll talk to you because she thinks you'll take her side."

"I probably will..."

"I want you to go talk to her and get her side of the story," Carol said, cutting him off. "And you will explain to her that there are better ways to solve arguments than physical actions. If YOU say it, she'll believe it because YOU are the one she got this aggression from."

"Come on, Carol," Daryl sighed, "Can't you talk to her?"

"Daryl, when she has a fight with a boy, that's YOUR territory," Carol explained in a no-nonsense tone, "When she starts _liking_ them, that's when I take over."

Daryl winced, hoping that day didn't come soon. He wasn't sure he could handle that innocent little girl of his starting to take an interest in boys. He knew all too well what boys at this age were thinking about and he didn't know if he could refrain from shooting any boy who dared think those things about Sophia.

"That's...a fair trade," Daryl admitted grudgingly, he shifted his crossbow on his back nervously. "Where's she at?"

"In the RV," Carol stated simply, nodding in that general direction.

Daryl nodded and made his way toward the RV, trying to figure out what to say as he went.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When Daryl stepped into the RV, he spotted Sophia sitting on one of the bench seats on either side of the table, her arms were crossed over her chest, her head was hung, her right leg was swinging back and forth making an angry sounding _clump! clump! clump!_ sound to fill the awkward silence Daryl found himself in. She didn't look sad or scared though...she looked pissed.

Daryl closed his eyes for a moment, trying to think of some smart way to start this conversation, but he soon gave up and just strode over and slid into the seat opposite her, across the table. He set his crossbow against the wall and folded his arms on the table, waiting for her to acknowledge him. But she didn't speak, look up, or even stop swinging her foot. The clumping soon wore his ability to sit still thin and he sighed.

"Sophia," he said firmly, yet not angrily, "What the fuck happened this morning?"

Sophia finally raised her eyes to meet his, they were filled with anger and he felt his lips twitch slightly but he stopped the smile in its tracks, Carol was right, Sophia _was_ becoming more like him every day.

"Carl's a thief, dad!" she growled, "But nobody will listen to me! All they can think about is that I hit him. They didn't even want to know WHY!"

"I wanna know why, 'Phia," Daryl said seriously, "I'm here to listen to your side o' this thing."

Sophia looked at him almost like she didn't believe him but then she leaned forward on the table, her eyes locked on his and her nostril's flared angrily.

"Carl and I were playing with Lulu in the back yard," she gushed, "Carl's shirt came up and I saw he had a gun on his hip. Well, I asked him about it and he told me his dad and Shane let him have it, that he'd found it. When I asked where he'd found it he wouldn't tell me so I kept bothering him about it and he told me I couldn't tell anyone if he told me."

Daryl nodded as Sophia took a breath.

"And he told me he took it from your motorcycle! So I got mad and told him he better give it back because I know you've been wondering where it went and I threatened to tell you and he started yelling at me and as I was going to find mom he yanked me back by my arm and it hurt so I turned around and...I punched him."

Daryl pulled his lips back into his mouth and closed his eyes as he fought back a laugh, knowing he had to keep this serious or Carol would be pissed. But when the initial laughter rush faded it was replaced with anger.

"So you're telling me that Carl admitted he stole my gun, asked you to lie for him AND hurt you?" he asked quietly, trying not to scare Sophia by the rage that was building inside.

Sophia hesitated, but finally nodded slowly.

Daryl couldn't hold it back anymore, he wasn't a saint and his patience and good nature was worn thin, he smacked the table with the flat of his hand and Sophia jumped with a squeak of fear, her eyes wide.

"Come on, Sophia," he growled as he stood up, "We've got some things to get straight with the Grimes'. This is NOT your fault, 'Phia, and I, for one, am proud of you for sticking up for yourself. I'm only sorry you DIDN'T break his nose!"

He slammed the RV door open and strode angrily across the yard with Sophia on his heels, looking scared and worried. Along the way, he found Carl sitting on a stump with a rag held up to his nose and Daryl snagged the boy by the arm and pulled him along in their scary little parade without a word. Carl stumbled along, wide-eyed.

Daryl would have laughed at the look on Lori and Rick's faces as they approached if he wasn't completely pissed off. Lori looked ready to fly at him like some demon possessed mother bear and Rick was gaping like a fish out of water. Daryl pushed Carl forward when they stopped in front of them then pulled Sophia to his side.

"What is the meaning of this!?" Lori yelled, grabbing Carl in her arms and crouching over him protectively. "How dare you even touch my son like that!"

"Shut up, Lori," Daryl snapped back, "I've got a question of m' own fer ya. What the hell is your son doin' stealing things and yankin' my daughter around?"

"Excuse me?" Rick asked, his neck was turning red from anger and Daryl turned his eyes to him slowly, not at all intimidated. "What exactly are you accusing my son of?"

"Exactly what I just fuckin' said," Daryl replied, his blue eyes daring Rick to call him a liar. "Sophia said Carl admitted to stealing MY gun and when she was going to tell me about it he grabbed her by the arm, which is why she hit him because it hurt. So don't even get in my face, Rick!"

"Don't YOU talk to my wife like that, you bastard!" Rick's fists clenched, and Daryl tensed his muscles, ready to defend if he had to.

"What the hell is going on here!?" Carol's voice made Daryl jump more than if Rick had swung at him and he bit his bottom lip as she shoved her way between him and Rick. "Daryl Dixon, I TOLD you to handle this calmly and be a good example to Sophia! This is NOT handling it well!"

"But she..." Daryl tried to defend himself.

"NO! You shut your mouth!" Carol cut him off and faced Rick, "And you, back OFF!"

Rick stepped back nervously and took his place next to Lori and Carl, who was starting to look like he was going to cry.

"Now...I am going to fix this," Carol announced, "Sophia, tell me what happened."

Sophia eagerly spilled her story, this time with tears in her eyes. Carol then turned to Carl and asked for his side.

"Sophia's right," Carl said quietly, "Everything she said...it's all true."

And the boy buried his face in his hands and began to cry, so loudly and pathetically that even Daryl felt little bit sorry for blowing this whole thing out of proportion, but damn it, the kid had to learn to be held responsible for his actions.

"Let's settle this already," Carol said simply, "Sophia, apologize to Carl for hitting him."

Sophia hung her head but immediately threw her arms around Carl in a tight hug and Daryl heard a little sob escape her throat.

"I'm sorry, Carl," she said, her voice choked, "I didn't want to hit you, you just made me so mad!"

"I'm sorry too, 'Phia!" Carl's sobbing joined in, "I should never have taken the gun in the first place and I'm sorry I hurt you!"

The two kids held each other and sobbed for several minutes and finally broke apart, wiping their tears away. The parents all stood their feeling highly awkward about the whole situation...except for Daryl, who was still very pissed.

"Carl," Rick said, clearing his throat, "Don't you think you have another apology to make here?"

Carl nodded and slowly turned to Daryl, his head hung low, afraid to meet the redneck's eyes.

"Mr. Daryl...I'm..I'm sorry I took your gun," he said meekly, "And I'm sorry I lied to everyone and said that I just found it. Here."

Carl unhooked the gun from the holster on his hip and held it out sadly. Daryl almost reached out to snatch it away, but he something inside of him said there was a much better thing to do. He knelt down and closed Carl's hand back over the gun, pushing his hand slowly back. Carl looked up nervously and finally made eye contact.

"Carl," Daryl said seriously, giving Carl a stern look, "You keep it. You should have something to protect yourself and this farm with. But you know, if you would have asked for it, I would have just given the damn thing to ya. If I ever catch ya stealin' anything ever again, you ain't gonna get off so easy. Understand?"

Carl nodded.

"Now, another thing," Daryl wasn't done with the kid, he had some shit to sort out in his young mind. "You ever lay a hand on my daughter with any wrong intentions...I'll kick your ass so bad you won't be able to recognize your face in the mirror. Hurtin' girls is the lowest thing is a man can do, and I KNOW you want to be a good man like yer dad. So shape up."

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

After all the hullabaloo of the day, Daryl retired to the target range to make some arrows and take his annoyance out on the haybales. He stayed out there until the sun began to set and then grudgingly returned to the house for dinner. As usual, he didn't take much and he ate it quickly before heading out the door. He sat on the porch swing and listened to the chatter coming through the windows, he waved at T-Dog who was set up on the RV keeping watch.

Carol came out a while later and started walking toward their campsite, so Daryl kicked his legs off the swing and followed her, catching up quickly.

"Where's Sophia?" he asked as they walked.

"She and Carl wanted to have a sleepover after everything today," Carol replied, "I figured the two of them have a lot to discuss."

"I bet," Daryl replied, feeling an excited flip in his stomach at the prospect of having the tent to themselves. He let himself fall behind slightly to let his eyes fall to her ass, admiring the way she walked for a moment before he stepped back up beside her, his left hand reaching back slightly to give that ass a squeeze. Carol yelped slightly and smacked his hand with a wicked grin.

When they reached the tent, Daryl let Carol slip inside but he made his rounds to make sure there was nothing around. He made a wide circle around the tent, made some noises to attract anything that might be just beyond his sight, but the area was clear and he lowered his crossbow with a satisfied nod. He unzipped the tent and slipped inside and laid his crossbow in its regular spot along with his knife and boots and all the other utensils he had on his person went in the roof mesh. He eyed Carol, who was lying on her back on her sleeping bag, her eyes looking up at the roof of the tent, and smiled as he lay down next to her, rolling onto his side to lean over and kiss her.

But she surprised him by turning her head away from him.

"Hey," he said softly, turning her head back to him with his hand, "C'mere."

"Nope," Carol said simply, pushing his hand away and rolling onto her side with her back to him.

Daryl felt a bubble of anger rise up in him, but it was overshadowed quickly by his bruised ego.

"Carol, what's wrong?" he asked nervously, wondering what he'd done to make her act this way. She'd NEVER done this before.

"I'm not in the mood, Daryl," Carol replied simply.

"I can get ya there..." Daryl suggested, his hand slipped between her thighs and he squeezed her through the fabric of her sleep pants. But she gripped his hand tightly, her nails digging in and he yanked it back with a sharp intake of breath. "Carol...is this about what happened today?"

"What do you think, Daryl?" Carol asked bitterly.

"But I handled it..."

"No, you didn't," Carol rolled over to face him this time and he felt like a little progress was better than none. "I had to come and fix it. You couldn't even handle that small disagreement."

That was like a slap in the face as far as Daryl was concerned.

"Are you sayin' I can't handle my responsibility with Sophia?" he asked grimly.

"I'm saying you've a long way to go," Carol muttered.

Daryl looked at her for a minute before sitting up and pulling his boots on. He didn't bother lacing them or anything, he just grabbed his knife and left the confines of the tent before he said something he would surely regret. He walked to his motorcycle and reached into the saddlebag, pulling out a small rectangular package. He eyed it for a moment before he flipped up the top and pulled out one of the slender white sticks, placing it between his lips and reaching back in the bag for the lighter.

He lit the end and closed his eyes as the tobacco hit his senses like a warm hug and he exhaled the smoke through his nose in a long breath. He walked a little ways and sat down on the old fireplace, gazing out over the field as he tried to gather his thoughts.

Had he really handled the situation so wrong? He thought he'd done what needed to be done...wasn't a father suppose to protect his daughter over anything else? Sophia hadn't been wrong to punch Carl, at least she wasn't going to take any crap! But...he'd let his anger get the best of him, as always. He took a long drag off the cigarette to clear his mind.

"Daryl?" he didn't know how she snuck up on him, but he jumped at the sound of Carol's voice beside him. He tapped the end of his cigarette off and he sighed as she sat down next to him tentatively. "I didn't know you smoked."

"Don't much anymore," he replied quietly, not looking at her. Truth be told, he was ashamed...because Carol was right, he had a long way to go.

"Only when you're upset?" Carol asked softly.

Daryl had to admit...it was true. So he nodded, snuffed the butt out on the rock next to him and flicked it away. He felt the warmth of Carol's hand slip into his and her upper body leaned closer to him slightly.

"I'm sorry, Daryl," she whispered, he noticed her voice sounded strained, like she was about to cry. "I didn't think before I said all that."

"But you were right..." Daryl started, but she shook her head.

"No, I wasn't," she said with a sniff, Daryl felt his throat tighten at the sound and he automatically squeezed her hand in attempted comfort. "You were standing up for Sophia...and what you did, giving Carl that gun, that was very admirable."

"Would have been great if I could contain my temper though, right?" Daryl muttered, not responding to her hand as it moved up his arm. But then it cupped his chin and he felt his face being forcefully turned to her.

"Maybe just this once," Carol agreed, looking very sorry. "Come back to bed?"

"I smell like smoke..."

Daryl's words were cut short by Carol's mouth as she kissed him quickly and gently. She pulled back and licked her lips.

"I don't mind it," she whispered, "I'm used to it. Plus...it's kind of soothing."

"Be in soon," Daryl stated, all desire he'd had before was long gone and he didn't quite know how to tell her that. "Gonna...have another."

"Can I sit with you?" Carol asked quietly.

Daryl finally broke down and looked over at her, taking in her moonlight bathe figure.

"Of course you can," he replied softly, bringing his hand to her cheek to run his thumb over her skin, "I never want you to leave."

They sat there in silence, shivering slightly in the chilly air, as Daryl smoked down another cigarette. He made a smoke ring at one point which made Carol laugh and snuggle into his side as comfortable as any other time. He felt his doubts about his abilities as a father fading and he finally snuffed the stick and stood up, holding her arm.

"Come on," he murmured, "It's cold out here."

They slipped back into the tent and laid down wordlessly next to each other, Daryl pulled the blankets up over them both and pulled Carol's back into him, his knee pushed between her thigh to bring her as close as possible. He sighed deeply, feeling her hair move from his breath.

"I...I'm sorry, Daryl," he heard her whisper in the silence, "If you still want to..."

"Nope," Daryl replied darkly.

And that did it. He felt Carol suck in a deep breath and she let it out in a sob, a quiet one, but just as heartbreaking as anything. Daryl tightened his grip around her and pressed his lips to her neck.

"Now, don't," he said gently, "It's ok. You know I'd never make ya if you didn't want to."

"But..." she sniffed and let out another sob before continuing, "It's not that I don't want you..."

"Carol, hush," Daryl whispered in her ear, "I understand, ok? I don't think you love me any less."

"You're not mad?" Carol asked, wiping away a tear. Daryl pressed a soft kiss to her cheek.

"I'll never go to bed mad at you, Carol," he whispered, "Never."


	38. Claimed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which a little flirting takes a dangerous turn.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tip Your Waitress: ko-fi.com/panjamysy  
> Tumblr: solar-poxwered.tumblr.com

Carol was standing in the field with a pistol in her hand, the weight feeling very out of place and uncomfortable. But she wasn't about to let anyone know how nervous she was to shoot it, especially not Daryl.

This had all come about because Shane felt that everyone in the camp should have a good knowledge of how to work all available weapons. Shane and Rick were in charge of gun training, Glenn and T-Dog were in charge of melee weapons like bats and machetes, and Daryl and Carol were in charge of archery. Last week, Rick had come to Daryl and requested that he make enough bows to go around to train with and he'd set about the task diligently and prepared six sturdy shortbows for practice.

The melee training had been first since it was the most physically demanding, they could all take a breather while standing there shooting at their intended targets. Carol had taken along the hunting knife Daryl had given her and learned a whole lot more about how to use it effectively against an enemy and she was glad for that...but this gun training was what she was worried about. She'd never shot a gun in her life and today Shane was insisting they all learn to use each available gun type in the camp from revolver to rifle.

And so she found herself in this current situation, standing slightly turned with her feet planted firmly as she stared down the small barrel of the revolver in her hand. She was shaking as she tried to steady her aim.

"Fire!" Shane called out loudly and she pulled the trigger with a jerk, it kicked back slightly but surely not enough to make her wrist pop back as far as it did.

"Again!" Rick said and everyone shot again.

Carol once again felt like she was doing something wrong and she glanced over at Daryl a few people down and watched him squeeze off another round, his eyes locked on his target with deadly purpose, his hands steady and unshaking as he squeezed the trigger and controlled the kickback. She wondered what she was doing wrong to make hers move so much.

"Carol," Shane's voice interrupted her thoughts, "You need to adjust your grip."

"My grip?" Carol asked, feeling stupid for not knowing how to do so. She looked at the gun in her hand, perplexed.

"Yes...here just let me show you," Shane held out his hand and Carol placed the gun in it. He gripped it with his right hand while his left hand cupped the bottom of the grip to steady his right. Oh...so that explained it. He turned his hands to show her all the angles then handed it back to her. "You try it."

Carol held it like she thought he had and showed him with a question in her eyes. Shane looked at her hands for a moment before shaking his head. Then he took her hands in his and began moving her fingers to the correct position, his thumb brushed over her hand before he let go and she wondered if he'd done it on purpose...

"Ok, show me how you're standing," Shane stated and she turned slightly to show him and he shook his head. "That's all wrong, Carol."

And that's when things got personal. Shane stepped up behind her, leaving no space between them as he lined up his body with hers and moved her arms, legs head and shoulders into the correct position. Carol glanced nervously over at Daryl and immediately wished she hadn't.

Daryl's eyes were terrifying...but not in the way you would think. Carol had expected anger or rage, but instead those blue eyes were fixed directly on her own and they were absolutely cold. Not a single speck of anger, hurt, or even amusement at her uncomfortable predicament...nothing but an icy gaze full of threat and dark promise. Carol shivered and looked back toward her target to avoid his eyes and took a deep breath to calm herself.

"Take a shot," Shane whispered in her ear and she bit her lip nervously. Surely Daryl was going to rip this man away from her and pound him into the ground...but when she glanced over at him he didn't move a centimeter and his eyes hadn't left her. Carol tried to focus on the target and finally managed to squeeze off a round. It hit the inner circle of the target and she laughed happily. Shane finally let her go and backed off, but only after he brazenly brushed her ear with his lips.

Carol knew Daryl had seen it, no one else had because they were too busy taking their next aim to notice, but Daryl's eyes hadn't even blinked she was certain. He was going to fly off the handle now and she braced herself for the fight that was sure to ensue...but he didn't move a muscle and his gaze never wavered until he finally turned back to his target, raised the gun and popped off his full clip...dead center in his target.

After they'd run through the entire range of guns, it was Carol's turn to take the position of teacher. She and Daryl passed out the bows and she nervously walked over to stand next to him and observe the six shooters. Daryl immediately noticed Glenn's handling of the bow was completely wrong and he shook his head as he made his way to him to show him how to hold and work the weapon. Carol looked around and nearly groaned at the irony...Shane was looking at her with a questioning look as he help up the bow. She sighed and made her way over to him.

"Having trouble, Shane?" she asked, friendly enough.

"I've never even held one of these damn things before," Shane muttered, looking completely lost.

"Well, it is kind of weird feeling at first," Carol agreed, glancing over at Daryl who was now helping Lori with her stance. Carol wondered if he was trying to prove a point because he sure was pretty close to her...

"So, how do I do this?" Shane asked, breaking her out of her thoughts. She smiled and stood next to him with her own bow and demonstrated how to properly hold and pull back the bow then asked him to go ahead and show her. He did...but it wasn't right, he was too bent.

"No, no see like this?" she demonstrated again...but he still didn't get it. She glanced nervously back where Daryl was still working with Lori. To be honest...he wasn't as close to her as she had previously thought and she felt a little bad for assuming he was. But then she got a wicked idea. _Oh, Daryl, look over here..._

She stepped over to Shane and had him assume his stance and hold up the bow like he was ready to pulled the string back. She walked around him, her eyes scanning him up and down, soft lidded and a smile on her face.

"Not bad," she commented softly, "But there's some room for improvement. May I?"

Shane nodded dumbly, looking a little shell shocked by her obvious scan of his body. She placed her hands on his left which held the body of the bow and gently moved his fingers into the correct grip then she let her left hand slide gently up his forearm to straighten his elbow more and then up to his shoulder which she pushed back slightly to straighten his upper body more. She could _feel_ Daryl's stare on her back and when she ran her hands down Shane's back to push him up straighter she chanced a slight glance in his direction and immediately looked away because she was right...he was staring straight at her. She moved to Shane's other side.

"Pull the string back," she ordered, and he did. That's when she locked gazes with Daryl for a moment over Shane's arm as she ran her hands up it pushing his wrist up to where the string was even with his ear, then pressed his elbow down to make a straight line, then pressed her hands to his chest to turn him ever so slightly. Daryl's gaze never faltered. Finally Carol leaned forward on her tiptoes and placed her lips a mere hair's width from Shane's ear to whisper: "Let it fly."

Shane didn't get a bull's eye, but it wasn't a bad shot at all and Carol nodded appreciatively and smiled.

"Good job!" she said, placing her hand on Shane's forearm. If she wasn't mistaken, Daryl might have twitched then but he made no move to stop her and she started feeling pretty crumby about the whole tease and went back to where she could observe all the shooters. Shane looked confused and disappointed for a moment before shrugging and nocking another arrow to try again.

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All day long, Carol kept expecting Daryl to approach her and ask her what the fuck she'd been doing all over Shane and vise versa...but he hadn't yet and it was almost supper time. In fact, he hadn't said a single word to her all day which was even worse than if he'd chewed her out about it. He'd been around all day, always about fifty yards or less from her, sharpening his knife, cleaning arrows or his crossbow, chopping wood with Rick...but no matter what he was doing, his eyes were locked on hers, cold and threatening and she started wondering if he was EVER going to break this terrible silence because it was starting to make her feel terrible. 

Finally, she couldn't take it anymore and marched straight up to him and threw her hands up in a "I give up" way.

"Daryl," she whined, "Are you mad at me?"

She didn't know what she expected...but it wasn't this. Daryl simply looked at her, totally unconcerned and squinted those emotionless eyes, then he shrugged, his lips pulled into a smirk and he shook his head.

"You...you're not mad? I mean, I was pretty shamelessly flirting. You did notice, right?" Dang it...maybe he hadn't realized she was flirting with Shane after all. But he nodded. Carol felt herself going insane. "Oh my gosh, can you PLEASE say something?"

But Daryl just smirked wider and stood from leaning back onto the tree as he had been and squinted at her again before walking around her purposely, never making a sound.

Carol watched him go, utterly confused and feeling completely ill at ease so she followed him around the RV, right on his heels. She was about to pipe up again but she kept her mouth shut when they came around the corner and everyone was sitting around cleaning the guns from the day's practice. Suddenly Daryl stopped in his tracks and she ran right into his back with an "oof" and he turned to look at her.

"I wish you'd say something because I feel like you're really super pissed..." she murmured, kicking the dirt nervously as she avoided his eyes.

Suddenly his hands gripped her shoulders firmly and she found her back slammed up against the RV, Daryl's body pressed firmly into her from every angle, his eyes locked on hers as he tilted his head like a predator considering the best way to land the killing blow to its prey. And then his mouth was on hers, his fingertips on the back of her head while his thumbs pressed firmly on the corners of her mouth, forcing it open slightly to slip his tongue through and deep inside it. Carol sucked in a breath through her nose when she felt his teeth grip her bottom lip firmly, pulling it with him as he leaned back. He let it go at the last possible second and then backed off completely, then he turned and walked on as he had been...leaving Carol blushing and the object of everyone's shocked gaze. Her lip hurt a bit and she sucked it into her mouth and ducked around the RV, embarrassed.

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After dinner, the sun had set and everyone, except for Daryl who disappeared out the front door after they ate, gathered in the living room to play board games and Carol forgot all about the day for a while as they laughed at the ridiculousness of Balderdash, Scattergories, and Nurtz. But when she looked up and spotted Daryl's silent form in the shadow of the doorway she gulped, and he curled a finger at her, his face was blank and gave away nothing, but Carol felt a little bit afraid. _Carol, come on, what the hell are you afraid of? He's not gonna hurt you._

_**Yeah? You so sure about that?** _

To tell the truth, no. But she stood up, unable to fight the almost magnetic pull he had on her. Maggie, who had gone out to the kitchen to get a jug of tea to pass around, returned to the living room and made a wide arc around the stone still redneck and gave Carol a nervous look as Carol passed her on the way to Daryl's side.

When she reached him, he simply turned on his heel and headed for the front door at a nonchalant walk. She walked after him, her head ducked as she watched him from under her brow.

"Daryl?" she ventured to whisper after working up her courage, but he didn't reply or even seem to have heard, he just kept walking with his focus straight ahead, occasionally glancing around to scan for Walkers. Carol gave up trying to make verbal contact with him and decided to try for physical contact. She walked a little faster to match his long strides and slipped her hand through his, he jumped slightly like she'd shocked him or something but then his hand tightened on hers as it usually did and she smiled. Maybe she had nothing to worry about.

"I'll be in," he said simply when they reached the tent and Carol jumped at the sound of his voice after not hearing it all day, but she nodded and slipped into the tent while he walked off a ways to do his walker check of the area. Carol waited in the tent on pins and needles.

Finally, the tent unzipped and he ducked inside. Carol watched him out of the corner of her eyes as he slipped off his crossbow and set it aside, then he unbuckled his belt and slipped his buck knife off and laid it next to the crossbow, then he sat down with his back to her while he unlaced his boots...all of this being done painfully slow it seemed to Carol. After what seemed a lifetime, he finally turned slightly to where he was side by side with her, his eyes fixed on the door of the tent, his knees bent and his arms around them, hands clasped in front of his legs...silent as a shade. Carol broke.

"I CAN'T FUCKING TAKE IT ANYMORE!" she shrieked loudly, but he didn't even jump in surprise, his mouth curled into a smirk as it had earlier that day. Carol grabbed his arm and shoved him sideways in her confused anger, he just looked over at her blankly. "Please just...get mad or something! ANYTHING!"

"I ain't mad, Carol," Daryl's voice was soft, dark. "Because I know you weren't serious. I know you're my woman. Thing is," he said, finally turning his head to look at her, "It seems like you might've forgotten that fact...or at least decided to test the boundaries."

She hadn't forgotten, no way, but...maybe she had decided to test how far he was willing to let her go. She hung her head slightly when she realized he was right.

"I...I just wanted to know how you would react," she admitted quietly.

"Did you now?" Daryl muttered, his head cocked in that way that truly made Carol nervous. "Do you really want to see how I'd react?"

"I...I'm not sure..." Carol admitted. She gulped nervously because Daryl had shifted and was now on his knees in front of her, blue eyes looking black in the moonlit tent as he stared at her.

"Maggie said she'd take care of Sophia tonight," Daryl's voice was almost a rumbling purr in her frightened ears, "Because I'm about to show exactly how I'm gonna react. I'm gonna make you remember exactly who's woman you really are."

And that was all the warning she got. Daryl's hands were suddenly tightly, almost painfully, gripping her upper arms, pushing her onto her back as he climbed on top of her, his weight oppressively covering her entire frame. She let out a little whimper when her back connected with the sleeping bags and his mouth covered hers with an aggression she'd never felt from him before, not this much. His tongue pushed between her lips relentlessly and traced along the back of her teeth, the roof of her mouth, the side of her own tongue and she made an effort to reciprocate but he pulled back immediately.

"Don't." he whispered the simple warning in her ear and then bit down on her earlobe just hard enough to hurt a little. Carol wiggled a little in an effort to gain a little freedom but she found she was unable to get free due to the fact his hands had her wrists pinned on either side of her head, his knees were firmly pressed into the sides of her knees to keep her legs from moving and his hips were firmly pressed into hers to hold her still.

"Daryl..." she whined as his mouth clamped firmly to the side of her throat, sucking the skin between his lips, then letting it slide out between his teeth and she knew she was going to sport several very noticeable hickeys in the morning...and she knew that was the whole point. He was marking her for all to see.

He ignored her whimpering plea and moved his mouth to her collarbone to do the same trick there, sucking in, letting it slide out and repeating until satisfied with the bright red mark he left there. This went on for a while until she made the mistake of bucking her hips up into him and he took a sharp breath in surprise. He pulled his head back to look down at her, squinting thoughtfully in the darkness as if considering his next move.

"Who do you belong to, Carol?" he whispered, almost so quiet she didn't hear.

"I...I..." Carol guessed she didn't answer quick enough because Daryl growled slightly and finally sat back, allowing her to move freely and she rolled to the side and sat up, her hand rubbing the throbbing spots on her neck where he'd marked her delicate skin. She didn't have much time to recover before his hands slipped under the material of her shirt and pulled it up, running his hands up her arms, making them raise over her head so he could pull the shirt off and toss it aside before unclipping her bra without any sort of reverence or teasing. He leaned in immediately and took her left nipple between his lips, his tongue traced around it and Carol found herself arching into his mouth even if she felt like a complete sexual degenerate for liking all this roughness. She felt him smile slightly and his chin hair brushed roughly over the tender skin beneath her chest, and she giggled because it kind of tickled. He moved his mouth to the other side, but this time he bit instead of licked and she yelped, grabbing his hair and yanking it hard to pull his head back. He looked at her for a moment as if weighing his options, then he slid his hands up her sides and took her nipples between his thumbs and forefingers, twisting slightly as he maintained eye contact with her.

"The harder you pull, the harder I'm gonna do this," he warned as her fists tightened in his hair. She decided to take the challenge and try to gain a little control over the situation, but he soon had them twisted so firmly that she had no choice but to release her death grip on his hair and whimper. But he released her just as quickly and soothed the now sore nubs on her chest with his tongue, gentle and soft compared to the way his hands now held her wrists firmly at her sides. "Who do you belong to?"

Carol was on to his game though, and she wasn't about to give him what he wanted after the way he'd given her the silent treatment all day.

"I don't belong to anyone, Daryl, I'm not a piece of property..."

And this outburst of stubborn independence was cut short but his mouth again and she fought for dominance in the kiss, her tongue fighting to gain control inside his mouth but he fought for it just as determinedly and soon he grew tired of it and pulled back, glaring. Carol was about to say something snarky when he suddenly leaned back and pulled his shirt over his head, filling her vision with the glorious expanse of the scar riddled, pale skin of his chest. He smirked at the obviously awed look on her face and took that opportunity to force her onto her back once again, his fingers working at the button and zipper of her jeans for a moment before he gripped them firmly and yanked them down her legs and off along with her panties. Carol was shocked at how quickly this all had occurred and she lay there in stunned silence as he slipped out of his own jeans.

Daryl took his place on top of her again, looking down into her eyes.

"I'm gonna ask you again, Carol," he growled, "Who do you belong to?"

Silence. Daryl sniffed angrily and he slid his entire body down her till he was laying mostly between her legs, only his shoulders and head remained above her pelvis and he stared up at her for a moment before his tongue snaked out and started making a trail from her navel down to her hip then slowly towards the inside of her left thigh, every inch brought him closer to his goal and she was damn near shivering by the time he reached it. Then he pulled back and grinned at her, not moving an inch.

"Daryl, please...come on," Carol moaned, raising her hips up to him. To her surprise, he didn't deny her. He ducked his head suddenly and she felt a jolt of pleasure shoot through her body when his mouth clamped onto her and his tongue immediately slipped inside her, twisting expertly and tantalizingly slow. He turned his head slightly to change the angle and she felt his tongue trace around her now very sensitive nub before he sucked it between his lips and she jerked her hips up in reply. He worked her into a frenzy before he finally pulled back and brought himself back up onto her, his mouth claiming hers again the same moment his length collided with the on edge nerve endings between her legs.

"Fuck," she moaned loudly as he rubbed against her teasingly, not making any move to take the next step yet. "Come ooonnn!"

He chuckled into her throat, where his mouth had descended to, and Carol felt a bubble of anger rise in her as she bucked her hips into his desperately, the friction he was teasing her with was driving her nearly mad. She HATED being teased.

"Who do you belong to, Carol?" she heard him whisper in her ear once again.

"Daryl, I swear to God, I'm going to..."

What she was going to do exactly she couldn't really remember because he suddenly bucked forward and forced his entire length deep inside her with that single thrust, causing her words to catch in her throat and turn into a loud groan. He shifted his weight onto his elbows, pressing his hips deeper into her, grinding firmly against her as he tried to get as deep as humanly possible. Carol's vision went black on the edges as he pulled back then, slowly, terribly slowly and then slammed back into her. She bent her knees slightly to allow him better access and he immediately leaned back and hooked his arms behind her knees, pushing them towards her chest. But he hesitated, she noticed, just long enough to check her expression before he continued his movements, making sure she wasn't hurting beyond a little bit of surprised discomfort.

That was what did it for her...he'd won. She couldn't justify letting him think she wasn't completely, one hundred percent HIS any longer. He had released her legs and was back on top like normal, his bucks becoming faster and more fierce with every passing second, his lips hovered above hers and his breath was coming out in pants and shaky inhales but he wasn't giving in just yet. His eyes snapped open, completely dilated to where she could barely seen a speck of blue in them, and he moved his lips down to her ear, his heavy breathing tickling her and almost making her giggle...if she could giggle at this point with a massive orgasm starting to rear its head inside her.

"Carol," he gasped, his voice hard, rough, desperate, accentuated with each forceful thrust, "Who. Do. You. Belong. To?"

"You," Carol finally whispered, barely loud enough to be heard, "No one but you. I'm yours, Daryl Dixon."

"Damn straight," was the reply in her ear and the pace picked up, choppy, uncoordinated and much more forceful then before. He clenched his teeth and his breathing became far more rapid and he started growling as he fought to hold on just long enough for Carol to finish first. And she did, not seconds later, her entire body jerking and spasming as her nerve endings exploded and her vision went black from the intensity of it. With a groan that almost sounded painful, he followed her a split second later, every single muscle tensing and twitching as he finally let himself drop off the edge of sanity.

When he had ridden it out to the very last twitch, she felt the fight go out of him and he let his forehead fall to her chest, his lips littering her skin with soft, quick kisses for a bit before he pulled out and rolled off of her to the side, his breathing still rapid and heavy from the effort.

Carol smiled and rolled on her side to look at him. His eyes were closed, mouth slightly open to suck in more air, his chest rising and falling rapidly, his right hand resting on his abdomen. His expression, however, was completely peaceful and almost innocent looking, a tiny smile playing at the corners of his lips. She smiled down at him as his eyes fluttered open, the familiar blue sparkle on the edges of his still slightly dilated pupils, he grinned and reached out to pull her to him.

"I love you, woman," he whispered as his fingers tickled the back of her neck and dance lightly over her spine all the way down to the lowest point of her back, "Don't ever doubt that."

"I never doubt that, Daryl," Carol replied gently, her fingers twisting in the layers of his dirty blonde hair that was getting much too shaggy. "Never will. And don't you ever doubt that I love you more than almost anything...except for maybe Sophia."

Daryl chuckled and pressed a light kiss to her lips.

"I won't begrudge that," he said quietly, "Did I prove my point though? You gonna ever test me like this again?"

Carol considered this...but the throbbing spots on her neck, chest and shoulder from his bites at the beginning were starting to throb and she imagined the looks she was going to get from everyone tomorrow and she shook her head.

"Nope," she replied, "I think I learned my lesson. But, uh...I'm not opposed to a little rough sex now and then even if you don't have a point to prove."

"I'll keep that in mind," Daryl said with a wicked grin. He pulled her close and pressed his lips to the top of her head as she laid her cheek on his chest. He yawned. "You wore me out, girl."

Carol grinned, but she felt her own eyelids drooping and his yawn made her yawn as well. Before she knew it, she was slipping into dreams...dreams of Daryl Dixon.


	39. Tuck In

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Daryl has his first night as solo dad.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tip Your Waitress: ko-fi.com/panjamysy  
> Tumblr: soler-pxwered.tumblr.com

Daryl was stalking silently through the trees, watching Sophia's form out of the corner of his eyes as they slowly approached the thicket where they had tracked the injured deer Sophia had shot earlier that morning. She had cried when it had run off with her arrow sticking out of its ribs because she felt horrible for hurting it but not killing it and Daryl was determined to find the thing and finish it off to ease the girl's mind.

Sure enough, he saw the white and brown fur of the deer among the brambles and froze in his tracks, Sophia mirrored his actions and crouched. He nodded to her and she slowly approached the thicket, bow ready. He watched with pride at her cat-like movements and the silence of her feet as she moved, and he nodded with a smile when she put the deer down with her next shot.

"Good job, 'Phia," he said as he laid his hand on her shoulder. They looked down at the now dead deer and Sophia sighed heavily.

"I feel terrible, dad..."

Daryl nodded and pulled her closer to his side.

"I know," he said quietly, "But ya can't get a perfect hit every time. This is why tracking is important to know. And ya did good trackin' her."

Sophia nodded sadly and they started to clear away the brambles to get at the body of the doe. Daryl grabbed the ankles of the deer and hefted it onto his shoulders with a loud grunt while Sophia strapped his crossbow on her back and picked up her own bow. They made their way back to the farm slowly and in relative silence, Daryl knew she was still slightly upset about injuring the deer.

Carol met them on the edge of the field, smiling as she saw their catch.

"Well, my man provides again," she said with a smiled, she raised herself on her toes and kissed Daryl's cheek. He grinned.

"I believe you mean your daughter," he claimed, giving Sophia a wink.

Carol's eyes widened and she smiled a wide, happy smile at Sophia.

"Oh my goodness! Did you get this deer, Sophia?!" she asked brightly. Sophia smiled and nodded.

"Yeah, mom," she replied, her chest puffed out slightly, "And I tracked it too!"

Daryl smiled as he shrugged hard and sent the deer's body sliding off his shoulders, landing heavily on the ground. He tossed his head to one side then the other to stretch the muscles which were now pretty sore from the load. Carol's hands immediately closed on his shoulders and started squeezing firmly, her palms digging in, he let himself relax under her touch.

"So," Carol's voice reached his ears, "Rick wanted to know if I'd be interested in taking a shift on watch. It's gonna be the night watch."

"Aw, come on, Carol," Daryl groaned sadly. Night watch meant she wasn't coming to the tent that night. Damn.

"Sorry, Daryl," Carol said, her mouth twisted in a half sad kind of way and she shrugged, "But...I think it's about time I took a little responsibility for this group too, you know?"

Daryl sighed and rolled his eyes, grabbing the deer's back legs and dragging it backwards toward the trees to string it up and butcher. Carol followed.

"You're gonna have to tuck Sophia in and everything tonight," she said as she helped him tie the deer's back legs.

"I can do that," Daryl stated confidently as he tossed the other ends of the ropes over the limb above them. He tugged experimentally and then braced his footing before putting his weight and muscles into pulling the deer up to hang head down. Carol eyed his arms with womanly appreciation as the muscles there tensed and bulged from the effort and she loved the way his tongue stuck out the left corner of his mouth as he leaned back into the pull and tied the rope off to another tree's trunk. He rubbed his hands together absentmindedly and then realized she was watching him and he smiled over at her. "What?"

"You're so hot," Carol stated simply. Daryl smirked and rolled his eyes as he walked over to her, pulling her into an easy, smooth kiss.

"Tell the truth, woman," he teased when the kiss ended, "You only love me for my body."

"Can't help it," Carol teased back.

Daryl eyed her thoughtfully before placing his hands on her hips, pulling her into him as he moved against her. Her eyes widened when he twitched into her thigh and he softened his gaze as he looked down into her eyes, he sucked his bottom lip into his mouth and Carol's mouth dropped open slightly as her breath hitched.

"So...can I come visit you on watch tonight?" Daryl bent slightly and brushed his lips lightly over her left ear, he bucked ever so slightly into her leg to emphasize his request.

"Mm, no, Daryl, you can't," Carol sighed, letting her eyes flutter closed as Daryl nuzzled his nose into her neck, "You've got to stay with Sophia. Don't you dare leave her in that tent alone."

"I wouldn't, Carol," Daryl's deep mumble vibrated against her neck and she pushed her hips forward in an effort to get as close to him as possible. "I'm just playin' with ya."

Carol groaned slightly and forced herself to step back from him, shaking her head to clear it of the lustful fuzz that had accumulated.

"Don't," she said with a smile, "You play dirty."

Daryl licked his lips slowly, his eyes locked on hers.

"Thought you liked it when I play dirty?" he claimed.

"Dad, I got Mr. Shane and Mr. Dale to help us with the deer," Sophia's voice broke the moment and Daryl's eyes flicked over to where the small blonde girl was skipping towards them with Dale and Shane not far behind.

"Thanks, peaches," Daryl ruffled her hair as she skipped by to get a better look at the deer, then he gave Carol a smile and a wink before turning to follow her and get started on skinning.

\------------------------------------------------------

Daryl had never tucked anyone in before and he suddenly had no idea what he was doing. He left the tent to do his perimeter sweep while Sophia got into her pajamas and ready for bed, Lulu followed on his heels.

"Anything out there, girl?" he whispered to the bobcat, but she just looked up at him and cocked her head. "Guess not. C'mon, let get some shut eye, you and I have some huntin' to do in the mornin'."

Daryl unzipped the tent and let Lulu in after him before zipping it up again. Sophia had already lit the lantern and she was sitting on her bed looking at him expectantly.

"What are ya lookin' at?" Daryl asked and she smirked like the little sassy ass she was.

"Ain't you gonna tuck me in?" Sophia challenged.

"I don't really know how..."

"It's easy," Sophia bounced slightly as she explained and Daryl smiled...the kid was always so damn happy about everything. "You sing me a song, pull my blankets up, and then kiss me goodnight."

Daryl scoffed, but knelt down next to her anyway.

"I have t' sing?" he muttered. Sophia nodded. "Anythin' particular?"

"Anything you want," Sophia responded with a grin.

Daryl rubbed his chin for a moment while he thought back to songs on the radio and then picked the first thought that came to him. He uncomfortably started to quietly sing the lyrics to the song Revelry by a band he heard playing at the bar a lot, Kings of Leon. After a while of Sophia not laughing or anything, he gained a little confidence and sang just a little louder as her eyes started to flutter closed. He didn't sing it all because he honestly couldn't remember it all, and then he pulled the blanket up to Sophia's shoulder, tucking it around her, and leaned down to press a kiss to her cheek.

"You tickle, dad," Sophia's sleep groggy voice stated, "You should shave."

"Think so?" Daryl asked with a smile. Sophia nodded and then rolled onto her side. "We'll see what your mom thinks about that." He knew damn well Carol like the feel of his scruff on her skin when he took her with his mouth.

He sat next to Sophia until her breathing changed and he knew she had fallen asleep, then he stood quietly and sat heavily on his and Carol's pile of sleeping bags and blankets watching the slight rise and fall of Sophia's chest as she breathed. This business of being a father was the scariest shit he'd ever encountered but he could see the appeal...nothing gave him that tightness in his chest quite like Sophia's smile and he was amazed at how proud he felt whenever the kid accomplished something. Sighing, he clicked off the lantern and laid back, leaving his boots on and his crossbow and knife within reach, never letting his guard down even in sleep.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Every muscle in Daryl's body suddenly jerked, his eyes popped open and he immediately, without thinking, grabbed his knife and drew it out, jumping up at the same time as he tried to clear the sleepy fog and decipher what was going on, he didn't see an immediate threat, but then a scream reached his ears and he realized what had woken him. He glanced over at Sophia and panicked, she was thrashing around beneath her covers, her fists gripped the sleeping bag beneath her and her legs were kicking wildly. Daryl sheathed his knife quickly and immediately dropped to his knees at her side, gripping her by the shoulders, he shook her probably more roughly than he should. Her leg lashed out and caught him on the hip and he pulled her into his chest firmly.

"Sophia, SOPHIA!" he took her face in his hands and patted her cheeks, her eyes finally popped open and she shoved herself back from him, her face terrified. Daryl remained where he was, sensing her need for space, he put his hands up, palms forward. "Whoa, whoa, 'Phia, you're havin' a nightmare."

"N...nightmare..." Sophia panted, glancing around the tent. Lulu rubbed her face under Sophia's chin and the girl clutched onto the bobcat's fur firmly and buried her face in it and began crying. Daryl couldn't sit back and let her cry, he inched forward and put his arms out to her in an invitation.

"C'mere, peaches," he said softly. Sophia looked up, but she hesitated a moment before she launched herself into his arms and buried her face in his chest, tear started soaking into the material of his wife beater immediately. "It's ok, it's alright it was just a dream, kid."

"I...I'm sorry..." Sophia was rigid, stiff and trembling and Daryl automatically tightened his hold around her. "I...I didn't mean to wake you up...I'm sorry."

Daryl pushed her back enough to meet her eyes, they were wide and red from crying and she was sniffing with almost every breath she took.

"Sophia, there's nothing to be sorry for," he said seriously, he consciously softened his gaze because he figured his aggressive yelling and shaking had scared her just as much as the dream. Damn, I need to remember she's just a kid even in this Hell we're livin' in!

"You...you're not...*hic* mad at me?" Sophia asked quietly, her body jerked from the force of her hiccups she had now developed.

"Fuck no...I mean...no, 'Phia, I'm not mad," Daryl wanted to kick himself for using that language in front of her after Carol had asked him not to. "You scared me is all. I thought maybe something had come in and got ya. I just yelled at ya because ya wouldn't wake up."

Sophia looked at him for a moment longer before sighing a shaky sigh and relaxing against his chest.

"It was awful..." she whispered.

"Want to talk about it?" Daryl asked, not really sure how to handle the after effects of a nightmare. "Sometimes if you talk about it, it's not as scary as it seemed."

Sophia pulled back and met his eyes and then nodded slowly and sat back, clutching her blanket in front of her. Daryl shifted and sat next to her, pulling her to his side with his right arm.

"It was mommy and I in here at night, but you weren't here with us," Sophia started softly, slowly, "We were asleep but then someone unzipped the tent and came in and grabbed mom and took her outside. I...I heard her screaming and then I heard a knife sound and...she stopped..."

Daryl's arm tightened around her shoulder in encouragement and sympathy.

"Then the tent door opened and...my...Ed came in and he...he grabbed me and dragged me out outside and I...I saw mom on the ground and she was bleeding and...Ed threw me on the ground and blamed me and mom for leaving him behind and getting bitten..."

Daryl growled deep in his throat and Sophia jumped at the sound. Can't get rid of him, can we?!

"Sorry," Daryl whispered, "Was...was that the end?"

"No," something in Sophia's tone changed and her voice was barely more than a whisper when she continued. "Then he...turned into...you. And you...grabbed me and shook me and...hit me and told me..."

Daryl was horrified by her words but he knew she wasn't telling him everything yet.

"Told you what, 'Phia?" he pressed gently.

"Told me..." Sophia took a shuddering breath and looked up at him, her eyes brimming with fresh tears. "That I wasn't yours and I wasn't your responsibility...and that you hated even looking at me."

Daryl felt like he was going to be sick. He immediately moved from next to her to kneel in front of her, he placed his hands on her shoulders and looked her straight in the eyes.

"Sophia, no," he stated firmly, but gently, "You know I'd NEVER think that about you, don't you?"

"But...but I'm not yours," Sophia whispered.

"Yes ya are," Daryl shook his head at her words, "Ya may not be my blood, but ya ARE my daughter. I love ya and I love yer mom and there's nothing I wouldn't do to protect ya both. Don't ever think otherwise."

"You use to scare me," Sophia admitted softly, her eyes dropped to the floor between them. "You reminded me of my dad...he was always angry too."

"Let me tell ya the difference between me and that...between me and Ed," Daryl had to stop his mouth from digging a deeper hole, "Yeah, sometimes I get angry and you better believe I can be mean as Hell...but I would never hurt you or your mom like he did. I know what he did to both of you and I promise nothing like that will ever happen again."

"I know..." Sophia nodded and smiled slightly, "I said you use to scare me. Not anymore. I love you, daddy."

And she threw her thin little arms around his neck, making Daryl's lips twitch into a smile as he held her close. Yeah...this father thing was scary, hard and confusing...but Daryl figured he'd never had a better and more rewarding job.


	40. Frustrations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Carol can't seem to get Daryl alone no matter how hard she tries.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tip Your Waitress: ko-fi.com/panjamysy  
> Tumblr: solar-pxwered.tumblr.com

Carol sat on top of the RV in the dark, waiting for the sun to rise and her shift to be over because, frankly, she was going to go crazy pretty soon. All night, she kept replaying the interaction between herself and Daryl when he'd strung up the deer. She could almost still feel the brush of his lips on the top of her ear and feel the warmth of his breath on her neck, she could still see look in his eyes when he'd asked if he could come see her on watch and the way his tongue traced across his lips before he pulled the bottom one into his mouth. He didn't even realize it, she knew, that lip licking-sucking-biting thing was just one of his many little physical habits...one of the many that drove her to near insanity. And the way his voice had dropped an octave lower as he pulled her into him was still driving her up a wall.

Carol squeezed her legs together for the hundredth time that night and she wondered to herself what exactly was going on with her. Of course she was always attracted to Daryl, that went without saying, but tonight she was feeling like if she didn't see, hear, touch, taste him soon she was going to explode from the sexual tension. Something about the way he'd pulled that damn deer carcass up had set her off...maybe it was the fact that he just hefted nearly two hundred pounds of dead weight into a tree by himself without even breaking a sweat.

Thinking about sweat just led her down another rabbit trail and her brain flooded with images of his face after their many rolls in the hay...or sleeping bags...or what have you. He always had a sheen of sweat along his hairline and down his neck and his arms after sex and she loved the way he just seemed to shine. And he always got that look of complete awe and amazement, followed by a peaceful smile reserved especially for those times.

"Ugh, stop it!" she mumbled to herself as she leaned forward, applying pressure from the chair to help ease the throbbing between her legs. "This is fucking ridiculous."

"What's ridiculous?" a whisper shattered her thoughts and she turned her head quickly and found Glenn looking at her from the ladder.

"Oh, hi, Glenn," Carol played it cool, but blushed slightly. Good thing it was dark. "Just...I was starting to get really...uh...scared up here alone. Don't you get lonely up here?"

"Yeah, sometimes," Glenn agreed, swinging up onto the roof and brushing off the front of his jeans, "But Maggie joins me up here sometimes and we talk through my shift."

"What are you doing up here?" Carol asked, "Your shift is at sunrise."

"I just figured I would let you off early since I was already awake," Glenn shrugged, "First time staying up all night on watch makes a person way tired, right?"

Carol yawned suddenly. Now that her mind wasn't occupied with sex, she DID feel tired.

"Well, I really appreciate it, Glenn," she said with a smile as she handed him the gun, "You're right, I'm not use to staying up all night. Thank you."

Glenn waved to her from the roof when she looked back on her way to the edge of the field that separated the house and her little slice of paradise, she waved back and then set off across it at a trot, clutching her machete close.

When she reached the tent she had to take a few breaths to calm herself because it was going to take all her strength not to jump the man's bones. But her thoughts were interrupted by the tent flap being thrown open and she yelped and jumped back, her hand flew to her mouth.

"Sorry," Daryl laughed at her expression, "Didn't know ya were standin' there."

"Where are you going?" Carol asked. "It's not sunrise yet, you're not going hunting yet are you?"

"Take a piss..." Daryl squinted at her funny, "Carol, I wouldn't leave Sophia alone here and take off hunting, good Lord."

"I...I know," Carol claimed, sticking her chest out defiantly, "I was just..."

"You need t' get some sleep," Daryl muttered, putting a finger to her lips to silence her, "Sophia had a nightmare, by the way. I took care of it."

Carol smiled softly. She could just picture him consoling Sophia with soft whispers and promises of killing anything that tried to get her. Her insides jolted and she closed her eyes for a moment.

"You're learning this father business pretty fast," she commented.

"Yeah..." Daryl muttered, "It ain't easy though. Hey, seriously, gotta piss, be right back."

Carol laughed and slipped inside the tent and under the covers. She tried to keep her eyes open but sleep claimed her immediately.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Carol," the whisper cut into her dreams and she grudgingly opened her eyes. Daryl was crouched next to her, his hand was on her shoulder and he was shaking her gently. "Carol, I'm going hunting, alright? See you when I get back."

Carol was suddenly wide awake and she carefully made her way out of the tent behind him. He smiled when he realized she was behind him and he leaned down to press a kiss to her cheek. Carol couldn't help the heat that shot through her even from that simple brush of his lips and she immediately reached out and gripped him tightly through his jeans.

"Fuck," Daryl said as he exhaled the sharp breath he'd taken at the sudden contact, but it wasn't exactly a pleased kind of sound and she knew she might be gripping a little too tightly and she relaxed her grip ever so slightly. "Carol, what's up?"

"Well, I could tell you one obvious thing," Carol replied with a cheeky smile, she ran her hand purposely down a little ways.

"You know I really can't do this right now?" Daryl sounded very sorry he couldn't but he automatically moved closer despite that knowledge.

"Mmm, I know," Carol whispered, pressing her chest into his and licking her lips teasingly, "Just wanted to give you a taste of what's waiting for you back here while you're out there."

Daryl groaned and his eyes closed as he tried to regain some sense of focus and Carol released her hold on him reluctantly, backing away but eyeing the obvious bulge in his jeans with a grin.

"See you when you get back," she whispered, winking as she slipped back inside the tent. She heard him sigh heavily before the sound of his boots on the fallen leaves began and then faded as the distance between them grew. Carol sighed and laid back down to catch some sleep before she continued her fun for the day.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Daryl returned with only a brace of rabbits and he wasted no time in sitting down on the edge of the field to clean and skin them. Carol joined him as soon as she noticed he was back.

"Well," she said as she stood behind him, leaning down to rest her chin on his shoulder. "Normally you come back with a bit more than this."

"Your fuckin' fault, woman," Daryl muttered, "It's hard to focus on killing things when your mind's on...other things."

"What things?" Carol asked with fake innocence as she sat next to him on the log.

"You know damn well what things," Daryl replied darkly, he gave her a look that clearly said 'don't fuck with me'.

"Oh, you mean this?" Carol grinned as she slipped her hand around his thigh and ran it firmly up to the junction of his legs, making him jump slightly.

"Yeah, something like that," he said, his voice getting husky, but he kept on skinning the rabbit in his hand. "So what's with you anyway? You're being pretty...grabby."

Carol bit the inside of her bottom lip before she gently took his wrist in one hand and the handle of the knife in her other, tugging slightly until he let it go and she stuck it firmly into the log next to him, making him jerk in surprise. She took the rabbit in his other hand by the ears and gently pulled it away, setting it aside in the bucket with the other one before she got to her knees between his legs. She locked eyes with his as she slid both hands up his legs, over his hips and pressed them flat against his stomach, her fingertips dug into his skin lightly.

"What'cha doin, Carol?" Daryl asked, his tongue flicked out the right side of his mouth and licked there slowly as he watched her face.

"Been waiting for you to get back all morning," Carol said quietly as she moved herself forward, pushing his legs further apart. She moved her hands down to his hips and pulled herself closer to him by pressing her weight into her palms and scooting her knees. Soon there was no more space between them and her stomach was pressed into him.

"Yeah?" Daryl sounded a little bit breathless as she wiggled a little further into him, causing a noticeable excitement to occur against the material of her shirt.

"Been thinking about you all night and all morning," Carol dropped her voice, letting her bottom lip go slightly limp to give her words a thick tone, she tilted her head down so she could look up at him through her lashes, "When I was on watch last night I was thinking about all the things I want to do to you, places I want to touch you...and I've been fighting really hard not to do this but I honestly can't, not anymore."

"Do what?" Daryl asked quietly, Carol could tell by the heavy look of his eyes and the slack of his jaw that he wasn't thinking with his brain anymore, as did the hardness against her stomach that was growing harder by the second.

"How about I just show you instead of talking about it?" Carol suggested with a wink as her hands went to the button of his jeans and popped it quicker than Daryl could even register her words. She watched his face for a reaction and she earned a shocked half smile and a small laugh of an exhale. Encouraged, she pushed her finger down the zipper line, pushing it apart fully before she slipped her hand inside.

But she didn't get the reaction she hoped for. Daryl panicked suddenly and jerked his hips back on the log, turning his head to look over his shoulder.

"Wait, whoa, whoa!" he yelped, placing his hands on her shoulders to push her back slightly. "Carol, whoa, we can't...not right here!"

"Why not?" Carol asked in surprise.

"Because we're only twenty yards from the fuckin' RV and Andrea's up there!" Daryl stated in a fierce whisper.

"You embarrassed?" Carol asked with a wicked grin.

"Just think it's not something everyone needs t' see," Daryl stated firmly.

"Don't think Andrea would mind, actually," Carol said with a giggle. Daryl looked horrified for a second but then swung his left leg over her, turned around on the log and stood up quickly.

"No way, Carol," he said sadly, shaking his head, "Not here. Ok?"

Carol rolled her eyes and sighed heavily but she stood up and stepped over the log, grabbing him by the collar of his jacket and pulling him close again.

"Then let's go somewhere else," she whispered into his ear, her tongue flicked out to run along the ridge of it.

"I really gotta clean these rabbits..." Daryl groaned, "You have to clean 'em before the guts effect the meat."

"Wow, Daryl...way to kill the moment," Carol teased, but she saw his point. "Fine, clean your damn rabbits, but when you're done, you're mine."

She smacked him on his left ass cheek before she backed away and turned to walk back to the RV and talk to Andrea. Daryl watched her go with a regretful look but then sighed and returned to the log, zipping his pants back up as he went.

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Carol watched for an opportunity throughout the day and finally she saw one when he was sitting on the gate of the fence around the pasture next to the barn, he'd been helping Herschel repair some weak spots in the fence and giving idea of how to make them walker proof but Hershel had gone inside for a break and Daryl just pulled himself onto the gate and was scanning the horizon with a bored expression.

Carol made her way quickly across the yard and the small open expanse of field that lay between the fence and her and when he spotted her she turned that walk into a sprint. She didn't waste any time in letting him know exactly what she had come down there for and she gave his arm a yank, pulling him off the gate. His eyes got wide, but he smiled wide and leaned back against the gate. Carol grabbed the bar behind him and placed her feet on the bar that was roughly calf height to him and she pulled herself up to connect her groin to his, he automatically placed his hands under her thighs to steady her and he looked shocked for a moment before he laughed.

"What's with you today?" he asked in amusement as she ground into him hard and her teeth nipped at the skin of his neck. "God, woman, you're crazy."

"Crazy? Damn right," Carol breathed out, "Crazy for you, and I'm gonna go even MORE crazy if you don't fuck me right now, Daryl Dixon!"

"Shit, girl," Daryl's eyes fluttered shut as she emphasized her request with a massive forward jerk of her hips, "Hold on a sec 'fore I lose it in my damn pants!"

Carol grinned but kept still while he collected his wits.

"Barn?" he suggested quietly.

"Fence is good," Carol pushed back into him, her mouth latched onto his and he moaned softly as her tongue slipped in. She wasn't taking no for answer this time.

"Carol..." Daryl tried to talk some sense into her about their current location but he was cut off by her tongue as she stuck it as far as possible towards the back of his throat. He coughed slightly and she quickly calmed down her attack and brought her mouth to his pulse point. "Fence it is then..."

"HEY, YOU TWO!" Andrea's voice made them both jump slightly, she was standing up on the RV and was calling across the distance, "RICK WANTS TO TALK TO DARYL!"

Carol growled in annoyance and Daryl sighed heavily as he rested his forehead on her shoulder.

"Ya know I gotta go, right?"

"No, you don't," Carol gripped the front of his shirt tightly, "Tell Rick to stuff it."

"Carol..." Daryl's voice held a small warning behind the obvious annoyance he felt toward Rick's untimely interruption, but she could hear the amusement at her blunt word there too.

"Oh, FINE!" Carol snapped angrily, she pushed away from him, "Put me down!"

Daryl lowered her legs and she straightened her shirt angrily as she spun on her heel and stomped off towards the RV. Daryl trotted along till he caught up and matched her angry stride.

"Hey...please don't be mad at me," he said with a sigh.

"I'm not," Carol growled, "I'm just extremely sexually frustrated right now! I keep getting...whatever the female version of cock blocked is!"

"I know how ya feel," Daryl muttered, and Carol giggled when she realized he was walking kind of funny due to the constriction in his jeans. "Trust me, I'm not any more fond of this than you are. Ya have no clue how uncomfortable this is..."

"Daryl!" Rick's voice made them both look over to the house. Rick was standing on the porch with the map in his hands and he waved Daryl over. "We need to talk about the next run."

"You're not going," Carol warned, darkly.

"I'll let him know, but the decision is his," Daryl said simply as he turned and started walking towards the house. Carol watched him go with narrowed eyes and she pulled herself angrily up onto the roof of the RV to complain to Andrea.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When Rick finally got Daryl's opinions about the run and they had planned it out, assigning Glenn, Maggie and T-Dog to the task, Carol waited by the RV for him to come back from the house. When the front door opened and he came out, practically skipping down the porch steps she walked towards him purposely, her eyes hard and determined. When she reached him she grabbed him by the wrist and pulled hard in the direction of the field.

"Archery range," she said simply, "Now."

"Don't have to tell me twice," Daryl laughed and followed easily. But just as they passed the chicken coop, Lori came out with a basket of eggs.

"Daryl," she said nonchalantly, "I need a favor. Can you take Carl and Sophia out target practicing or something for a while? I'm just really tired, you know with the baby and everything, and I need a nap..."

"No, he can't, now everyone STOP asking him to do shit because for the next few hours he's MINE!" Carol snapped, not just at Lori but she spun around as if addressing anyone who cared to listen, "We are leaving this farm for a while and I'm gonna get good and fucking laid and NOTHING is stopping me this time!"

Daryl's eyes were wide and shocked and he clapped his hand over her mouth and quickly pushed her towards the field, giving Lori an apologetic look over his shoulder.

"Maybe later, Lori?" he whispered back. She nodded dumbly, looking at Carol with disbelief.

Carol twisted out of his grip and glared at him when they reached the edge of the field.

"What was that for?!" she hissed.

"Carol, you're acting like a cat that got caught in the sprinklers," Daryl stated firmly. "Come on, let's...get some of this aggression out, whatd'ya say?"

"I say it's about time!" Carol grabbed his hand and took off at a run across the field towards their makeshift archery range. No one ever came out there and she was positive they'd have no interruptions there.

When they finally reached the range, Carol didn't hesitate. She turned quickly and literally jumped him, her legs wrapping tightly as possible around his hips.

"So...um...are we just jumping right in to this or are you feeling playful?" Daryl asked with a grin.

"We can play as much as we want after," Carol's breath was heavy and she wiggled her hips in small, purposeful circles. "I'm gonna explode if you don't take me quick."

"Fine by me," Daryl stated happily, his mouth automatically clamped onto the junction of her neck and shoulder as he backed her towards the nearest tree to get some stability.

"No," Carol gasped, "No, get down on the ground."

"What?"

"DOWN!"

Daryl's eyes widened at her sharp tone but he knelt down carefully so as not to drop her and pushed her onto her back in the grass and leaves, but to his surprise she pushed against him.

"No, I said YOU get down," she stated firmly. Daryl squinted suspiciously but obeyed, leaning back on his elbows. Carol pulled herself up and quickly straddle his hips, pushing his backside firmly into the ground. She slid her hands under his shirt and pulled it up and he sat and raised his arms to allow it to slip off and she tossed it aside, her hands moved quickly to the buckle of his belt which she undid and pulled off in record time.

"Hey, you too," Daryl mumbled as he took her hands and raised them over her head so he could yank her shirt off as well. He unclipped her bra on the way back down her body to the button of her jeans. Carol had his jeans unzipped and pushed low on his hips before he even got her button undone. "Hey, hey, what's the rush?"

"Need it," Carol gasped, "Need it now."

Daryl raised his hips to allow her to slip his cargos down and then he kicked them off, annoyed when they got hung up on his right ankle. Somehow, and he had no clue how, Carol slipped her own jeans off by the time he managed to clear himself of the pesky pant leg and she didn't waste a second before she lower herself onto him, taking every inch of him in without hesitation. Daryl saw stars in his vision for a moment and he scrunched his eyes shut as that "first entry" sensation shot through his nervous system, a whimpering sound made its way out of his throat despite his effort to keep it contained and he let his head drop back on the ground as the original jolt faded.

Carol watched his face with a smile, the way his jaw dropped open and his eyes closed tightly when she took him in. She waited until his expression calmed a little before she started moving her hips forward then back in slow, purpose filled motions. Daryl's hands slid up her arms and tangled in her hair as he pulled her down to reach her mouth with his, and she sighed happily as his tongue slid behind her teeth and began its tantalizingly skilled exploration. She focused on the feeling between her legs instead of the kiss though, there was plenty of time for kissing later, this was a necessary quick lay that she needed to continue her plans...seriously, she was frustrated beyond belief at the day's interruptions.

With that thought, she immediately picked up the pace of her hips and placed her hands flat on the ground at either side of his head, focusing her energy on the movement of her lower body as she rode him hard, relentlessly and expertly. She could feel that coil inside tightening as she changed her angle slightly and she heard him give a sharp little gasp under her and she opened her eyes to look at him. He was watching her, his eyes locked on her mouth but them they flicked up to meet her eyes and he smiled slightly. This was how it always went for Carol, yeah the feeling of his filling her and the glorious friction that was building now would do it for her any day...but every time she opened her eyes during sex, that was what sent her over the edge every single time, because of the way he looked at her; like she was priceless.

"Shit," she breathed out as her head dropped forward to his shoulder, he bucked up into her as her movements started to become choppy and strained, taking over the rhythm and driving her on into her building orgasm. She felt that knot inside her finally come undone and she shot up straight, tossing her head back and her hips forward as her inner muscles contracted and released in those familiar, mind numbing spasms. She heard the distant sound of her own voice releasing a series of small screams, squeals and Daryl's name a few times before she felt her muscles give out and she found herself spread out on top of him, chest to chest, hip to hip, still connected. She hadn't even felt him finish, it was such a powerful jolt to her system but he was growing soft inside her so she knew she hadn't failed to meet his needs...which she was glad for because she had honestly not even been thinking about him this time.

"Holy...shit..." she heard him whisper out loud, more to himself than her. "Carol...that was...holy shit that was so damn hot. Where did you fuckin' learn to DO that!?"

"Newly acquired skill," Carol panted out honestly. "You make me do things I never knew I could before."

"Mmm," Daryl moaned into her neck and she felt his tongue run over her skin, "I'm the luckiest son of a bitch."

Carol sighed and turned her head slightly to give him a wider area of her neck to explore and he took it gladly.

"I'm gonna fall asleep," she heard him mutter and she sat up quickly, rolling off of him.

"You can rest but don't fall asleep," she said seriously. "Actually, no, come on get up! Stay awake!"

Daryl groaned loudly and in annoyance as she pulled at his hand but he gathered all his determination and managed to rise to his feet, defying his body's desire to doze off. Carol leaned into him with a smile, and he savored the feel of her flushed skin against his and he ran his calloused hands down her back to grip her ass tightly as he swayed her side to side slowly, she laid her head against his chest, her fingers playing with the sparse hair there.

"See?" she whispered into his skin before pressing her lips to the tattoo on the left side of his chest, a name of someone important to him long ago, she'd heard the story. "Isn't this better than sleeping?"

"Mm, it's pretty good, I'll admit," Daryl said with a smile, his arms developed goosebumps from her teasing his chest. "What d'ya wanna do now?"

Carol stepped back then and looked at him with a smile.

"I just want to...look at you," she admitted, "Is that weird?"

"Well, I guess not," Daryl said with a thoughtful twist of his lips, "But...I'm not really all that pretty."

Carol gave him a look that told him to shut up and she started circling him like a lioness trying to find the weak spot in a water buffalo herd. Her eyes scanned every inch of him and she knew by the look on his face he was very uncomfortable with this intense scrutiny.

She took in the shaggy, winter darkened brown hair that hung around his ears at this point and smiled at how messy it was from where her hands had gripped it moment ago as she rode him like a cowgirl rides a bronco. His eyes were still slightly dark and dilated but they were starting to get back their brilliant blue shine. She scanned his face and her eyebrows scrunched in concern when she realized how his cheeks were starting to look a little sunken and how his cheekbones were becoming more prominent.

 _I've GOT to make sure he eats more._ She mused.

She scanned the skin of his neck and took note of the way his muscles twitched as she turned his head to follow her movements around him. She stepped forward from behind him and ran her fingers lightly over the skin there, she's never noticed before but there was a spattering of freckles on each shoulder and she smiled. Shoulder freckles...so damn cute.

She slid her hand down from his shoulders to the lowest part of his back, tracing his muscles and savoring the feeling of them moving slightly under her fingers as he shifted slightly to try and look over his shoulder at her. She turned his head back to the front and pressed her lips to his spine between his shoulder blades before she moved around to his front. She eyed the expanse of his chest and torso, her index finger traced the light brown hair from his chest all the way to the slightly darker and somewhat thicker collection at the base of his cock, which, she noticed with a smile, was beginning to recover from their romp.

"Really?" she whispered, "Already?"

"What can I say?" Daryl shrugged, but she didn't miss the blush that crept onto his cheeks, "You get me goin' like nothin' else."

Carol giggled and she moved her hands to his hips running her palms over the sharp, prominent bones there with a frown.

"You need to start eating more, Daryl," she said seriously. "You're getting way too damn skinny."

"Look who's talkin'," Daryl stated, gripping her hips to prove his point.

"I've always been skinny and boney," Carol stated defiantly, "But you haven't. You're dropping weight like crazy and I want it to stop. You got me?"

Daryl rolled his eyes but nodded.

"Alright, I promise," he said with a sigh as her hands moved to grab him firmly by the ass. "Yikes...hey, you done? Because I'm up for round two."

"I can tell," Carol laughed at his unintended euphemism. She dropped to her knees to finish her scan, her hands slid down the back of his thighs and traced the skin behind his knees, which almost made him buckle and he laughed.

"Sorry, that tickles like crazy!" he said with a grin.

Carol smiled as she let her hands slide to his calf, she grinned wickedly then leaned and twisted to where she could press her lips behind his knees and she nipped him for good measure.

"Alright! Ok! Enough," Daryl laughed loudly and grabbed her hair to pull her back. She looked up at him with a cheeky smile and he leaned down to pull her up under arms. She giggled as she faced him and he shook his head. "You're so strange. I never know what the hell you're gonna do."

"You're right though," Carol said, leaning back to meet his eyes. "You're not very pretty."

Daryl's eyebrows scrunched together and a flash of hurt passed through his eyes. Carol leaned forward and pressed a quick, closed lip kiss to the beauty mark at the left corner of his mouth then leaned back again.

"You're ridiculously, perfectly, amazingly beautiful," she clarified, "Pretty doesn't even scratch the surface."

"Had me worried there for a second," Daryl admitted with a crooked grin and a squinty look.

"You've got nothing to worry about," Carol assured him, "Now...you mention the possibility of some playing before if I remember correctly?"

"Yeah, I believe I did," Daryl replied, sucking his bottom lip behind his teeth and grinning as his mind immediately came up with a million little ideas on how exactly they could "play" out here in this field with hours to kill.


	41. The Daily Moo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Carl and Sophia write a newspaper...and the content doesn't sit well with the farm's residents.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tip Your Waitress: ko-fi.com/panjamysy  
> Tumblr: solar-pxwered.tumblr.com

Carol and Sophia had just finished the entire group's laundry and it was still only about noon, they hung them all up to dry in record time and now Sophia was sitting on a stump just kicking her feet back and forth looking bored as all get out. Carol sighed, it WAS a pretty slow day.

"Sophia, we're done here if you want to go play," Carol suggested.

"Ok, mom, I'm gonna go find Carl," Sophia replied with a smile. "But I think he has homework to do today."

A few minutes later, Carol saw Sophia and Carl sitting on the porch with a stack of papers and she wondered vaguely what they were doing. Sophia leaned over and started drawing and Carol figured that was all it was so she headed to their campsite to clean up the tent and shake out the bedding...Daryl tended to track in a lot of dirt chunks and leaves. As she passed through the tree line where the rest of the tents were, Sophia skipped past and into the RV.

"Are there any pencils in here?" she asked and Carol assured her there were some in the glovebox.

"Hey, Carol, come on up here and talk to me," Andrea called down from the top of the vehicle before Carol could continue her walk. "I'm bored as Hell!"

Carol laughed, but she had to agree that she wasn't all that busy so she climbed up and settled down next to Andrea.

"Seen anything interesting?" she asked.

"Well...that depends on what counts as interesting," Andrea replied with a wink.

"Oh?" Carol sensed some juicy gossip, whoever was on watch saw everything that went on.

Andrea leaned over with a twinkle in her eye, but didn't even bother lowering her voice.

"Maggie and Glenn disappeared into the stable a few minutes ago," she said with a grin, "They go in there the same time almost every single day. Once I put my ear up to the wall and, let me tell you, those two go at it like rabbits!"

Carol giggled and covered her hand with her mouth.

"T-Dog was down in the cellar earlier," Andrea continued, "Sometimes he goes down there and sneaks a little extra before dinner."

Carol gasped and laughed.

"Andrea! Do you know ALL the farm's dirty little secrets?" she asked in amazement.

Andrea grinned wickedly.

"I spend almost all day up here, Carol," she replied, "And everyone is so use to it that they don't even think about it."

"Good grief! What kind of dirt do you have on Lori?" Carol asked, caught up in the old familiar feeling of gossiping with a good friend.

"She stays in the house mostly," Andrea admitted with a disappointed half smile. "To get the goods on her, I'd say ask Patricia."

Carol giggled and looked out over the field and her heart squeezed happily at the sight of Daryl strutting across the field with a string full of small animals, she could tell he was feeling good by the strut in his walk.

"Looks like someone had a good hunt," Andrea commented, grinning knowingly.

"Mmhmm," Carol mumbled without really paying attention, her eyes glued on the approaching figure. She smiled at him as he passed the RV and he gave her a grin and a wink in return.

"Carol, you're drooling a little," Andrea teased, bringing Carol back to reality. She shook her head and gave Andrea her attention.

"I'm sorry, Andrea," she said meekly, "I can't help it...I like to look at him."

"Don't we all?" Andrea laughed, her eyes following Daryl to the log where he began skinning the creatures he'd caught.

"You can look all you want, but you better never touch," Carol warned with amusement. She watched him work, hands deftly working to remove the skin without taking the meat with it, his tongue stuck out in concentration, his brow scrunched as he worked. "God...he just...exudes pheromones. Can't keep my hands off him!"

"Exudes pheromones?!" Andrea burst into laughter and Carol blushed when Daryl gave them a knowing look out of the corner of his eyes.

"Shut it, you," Carol blushed brightly, "He's gonna know we're talking about him!"

"Oh, trust me, he already knows," Andrea waved her hand in dismissal. Carol laughed and she spent a good amount of time chatting and gossiping with Andrea about everyone in the group. Only when Carl came running from the house with a handful of papers and climbed into the RV did they stop and Carol climbed down and headed into the house to help make dinner with Patricia.

Sophia came into the kitchen a few minutes later and sat down at the table, grabbing the potato peeler without hesitation and started peeling said potatoes. Carol and Patricia stood at the sink washing more potatoes and carrots.

Carol remembered Andrea's suggestion of asking Patricia about Lori's daily activities and the two women got to gossiping happily as they sliced veggies.

"Ya'll are like a couple of old hens, standin' around cacklin' about everyone's business," Daryl's voice cut into their discussion and the two women jumped at the sound of his voice and spun around looking utterly sheepish.

"Oh, come on, Daryl," Carol rolled her eyes with a smile, "What else is there to do on a slow day like this?"

"How about cook up these?" Daryl held up the freshly skinned and cleaned mix of small animals. "Squirrel, rabbit...possum."

"Possum?" Patricia took said creature with a hesitant look. "Well...we just won't tell anyone what it is."

Daryl nodded and washed his hands in the sink while Carol piled the meat in a bowl to clean, then he turned and ruffled Sophia's hair before he left the house. Carol wondered where he was going as she craned her head to watch the back of his jeans for as long as possible.

"Mm, mm, mm," Patricia said with a grin when Carol straightened up again, "That boy's got an ass so tight you could bounce a dime on it."

Carol looked at Patricia in shocked amusement.

"Patricia! You been eyein' my man?"

"We all have, Carol," Patricia laughed, "It's kind of hard not to. Don't worry though, we know better than to get on your bad side."

"I can't say I blame you for looking," Carol grinned, "He's pretty much sex embodied."

Patricia laughed loudly and Carol grinned as she began washing off the possum.

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The next morning, Carol woke up and had a mini heart attack when she looked over Daryl's shoulder and noticed Sophia was gone. She grabbed Daryl's arm and shook him roughly.

"Daryl! Where's Sophia!?" she squealed in panic. Daryl's eyes shot open and he placed his hands on her forearms to calm her down.

"Relax, Carol," he said sleepily, "She's fine. She wanted to see Carl about something so I walked her to the house. Ok? Relax."

The adrenaline stopped pumping and Carol felt her muscles relax and her mind stopped running through possible, terrible scenarios. She scooted closer to the warmth of Daryl's body and buried her face in his chest.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, "I was just scared there for a minute."

"Understandable," Daryl muttered, then she felt his chest rise and he yawned.

"Why aren't you hunting?" Carol asked sleepily.

"Wanted to spend the morning with you," Daryl replied, sounding equally tired. "But, actually, I don't think I can stay awake."

"Just hold me," Carol replied, smiling into his shirt and wiggling closer to him to escape the chilly air of the October morning. "Spending time with me doesn't always require sex, you know?"

"Not _always_ ," Daryl chuckled, "But as often as possible, right?"

Carol giggled, but her eyes dropped closed as sleep once again claimed her.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When Carol woke up later that morning, Daryl was gone so she got dressed and headed to the house for breakfast.

But...she knew something was wrong before she even made it to the yard because the entire group was on the porch with Carl and Sophia sitting on the porch swing looking shocked and contrite. Lori was standing behind the children with her hands on their shoulders and Carol heard angry tones before she could make out words and she started running.

"What's going on here?" she demanded when she reached the steps, Sophia looked at her wide-eyed and hung her head.

"Did you know about this?" Maggie asked angrily, waving a sheet of notepaper in her face, Carol leaned back and tried to read what it said.

"This is the most humiliating thing I've ever seen!" Patricia groaned as she handed Carol the paper she was holding much more calmly than Maggie. Carol took it with some hesitation and started reading the childish script under the impressively drawn title "The Daily Moo: News from the Farm".

When she had finished reading the headline, she knew why everyone was so upset, it read "Everyone's Got Their Secrets". Carol read on in horror as the words she and Andrea and Patricia had exchanged on the RV and in the kitchen swirled before her eyes in the childish handwriting on the paper.

"Oh...my goodness..." Carol groaned, running her hand through her hair as she lowered the paper with a sigh. "This is...so embarrassing."

"What are you two going to do about this?" Herschel asked, "This is as much your responsibility as theirs!"

Carol backed up to stand next to Lori and behind Sophia, placing her hands on Sophia's shoulders to soothe her because she looked absolutely miserable.

"Would ALL of you just please give us some space and let us handle this?" Lori spoke up angrily, "We're both very much aware of your concerns now so please...let us work this out."

The group dispersed slowly and the two mothers sighed heavily.

"Carl, what were you thinking?" Lori asked wearily, "How could you write this?"

"And you, Sophia," Carol stated sadly, "Didn't you think about how this was going to sound?"

The kids both remained silent and sullen and Carol was glad to see Rick and Daryl walking up from the barn, returning from whatever they had been doing. The two women each got their children up and off the porch, stomping angrily towards their husbands with their terrified children in tow.

"Mom, please don't tell daddy!" Sophia begged, humiliated tears spilling down her face.

"He's gonna be so mad!" Carl whined, tugging against Lori. "Please, mom!"

"You two dug your own graves," Lori snapped back at her son, who fell silent again immediately.

"Hey, ladies, what's..." Rick began but Lori's shrill and angry explanation cut him off and she pushed Carl forward, handing Rick a copy of the paper.

Daryl looked at Carol with his "What the fuck?" expression and she too handed him the paper, although silently. Lori was dragging Rick and Carl off towards the barn so Carol remained where they were are Daryl read the kid-written gossip column. She watched his expression go from confused to comprehension to amusement ending up with him laughing loudly.

"Daryl! This is NOT funny!" Carol said, horrified at his reaction. "Sophia and Carl have upset the entire group!"

"Oh, Carol, this is priceless," Daryl didn't stop laughing, he covered his mouth with his hand as he continued to read. Carol was mad at his immaturity, but she had also never seen him laugh so hard and it was a very nice sight. His eyes squinted, causing adorable lines to crinkle in the corners and his lips pulled back to reveal his teeth, which she would never understand how they were so white. His laugh was much higher pitched than his speaking voice, she already knew but she'd never heard him actually have trouble breathing from laughing so hard. She glanced at Rick and Lori who were looking over in surprise.

"Stop it, Daryl!" she snapped angrily, but he just cut it down to a series of chuckles.

"So I 'exude pheromones', huh?" Daryl asked with a grin, he leaned down to Sophia, "Spelled it wrong, 'Phia. It's not an f, it's a ph."

"DARYL!" Carol growled loudly, and she was glad to see him finally take on a serious look as he straightened back up.

"Alright, Carol," he said with a sigh, "Calm down."

"I was calm until you pulled that laughing shit!" Carol replied angrily, "You were suppose to do something about this, not encourage her!"

"And what exactly do you want me to do about it?" Daryl asked, "I didn't even know anything about this until now."

"Well, she needs to be punished," Carol reasoned, "We can't just let this go."

Daryl rubbed his chin and gazed down at Sophia thoughtfully.

"Let me ask you something," Daryl said slowly, "What exactly are we punishing her for?"

"For telling all these stories!" Carol said in exasperation.

"Are they lies?" Daryl went on, "We all know Maggie and Glenn fuck like rabbits in that stable. We all know Andrea watches and knows everyone's business. We all know Lori spends half the day sleeping. The only surprise here is T-Dog's lifting food from the cellar."

Carol gaped at him.

"And the fact that Patricia thinks my ass is tight enough to bounce a penny off of," he added with a wink.

"A dime," Carol said miserably, the whole thing was slowly falling into place.

"Huh?" Daryl cocked and eyebrow.

"Oh my gosh," Carol groaned, covering her face with her hands. "This is all my fault."

"Yep," Daryl nodded sympathetically, pulling Carol into a hug. "It is, but it's also Andrea's and Patricia's, so I think the three of you have the responsibility to make it right."

"I'm so sorry, Daryl," Carol said miserably.

"Hey, I'm fine with it," Daryl laughed, his chest vibrating under Carol's ear. "I already knew you think I'm...what was it...'sex embodied'."

Carol smacked his arm and laughed, the hilarity of the situation didn't make it any less embarrassing.

"I guess I better gather everyone up and explain that this is all my fault," she sighed heavily.

"Mom," Sophia said quietly, her voice sounded choked. "It was Carl's and my fault too. We wrote it."

"And you'll both be standing right there with your mom, Andrea and Patricia when people get the real story," Daryl assured her with a firm look, "Come on."

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------

After Carol's explanation of the children overhearing the gossip the three women had spread about, everyone turned their anger towards her. Carol nodded silently as insults and anger were hurled in her direction from the group, after all it was her who had dug up the dirt out of boredom and she figured she probably deserved it.

"Carol, how dare you accuse me of sleeping all day!?"

"What Glenn and I do on our own time is our business!"

"I don't eat that much!"

"Shane and I aren't dating and if we were it's not your business anyway!"

Carol hung her head as tears threatened to spill and she suddenly felt strong arms wrap around her from behind.

"That's fuckin' enough!" Daryl's growl cut off the others. "Don't you even for a second think you can talk to her like that! This is as much your faults as hers, Sophia's or Carl's, you assholes. Every one of you, gossipin', sneakin' around, stickin' your noses into other people's business, talkin' shit about everyone else...not one of ya'll is innocent in this!"

The group fell silent, some head hung and some became stiff and indignant.

"She just admitted she..." Lori began.

"I don't fuckin' care!" Daryl yelled, making everyone in the room visibly jump. Carol could feel every muscle in his body tense in rage, "At least she has the balls to admit she was wrong. I don't see anyone else steppin' up to take their share of the blame."

Carol wanted so badly to smile at his protectiveness as he pulled her back from the group towards the door, but she didn't think that would help her case right now so she remained contrite and quiet.

"You all can work this shit out however you want," Daryl said darkly as he took Sophia's hand and turned her and Carol towards the door to the porch. "But you keep my family out of it if you're gonna act like this."

And with that, Carol felt him firmly push her back, herding her and Sophia out the door. Carol felt a bubble of pride in her chest and she finally let herself smile.

"Thank you, Daryl," she whispered as they walked back to their campsite.

Daryl nodded once, sharply. Carol knew it was enough, he wasn't looking for thanks or praise or approval...he was only doing what he felt was the best for his family and he was getting pretty damn good at it.


	42. Good Genes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Judith is born and Carol shares a concern.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tip Your Waitress: ko-fi.com/panjamysy  
> Tumblr: solar-pxwered.tumblr.com

The farm was in an absolute uproar. Daryl stood there in confused silence as people ran around him like chickens with their heads cut off, wondering what he should be doing with himself during this time of insanity. Andrea was yelling down the stairs, demanding something from Glenn who suddenly rushed into the kitchen, Carol flew through the living room towards the stairs with her arms full of blankets, Rick came crashing through the front door and pushed past Carol to take the stairs three at a time, Maggie, Herschel and Patricia were yelling things loudly to each other somewhere upstairs and Lori screamed like a banshee. Sophia's hand tugging on his vest brought him down to earth and he looked down to see her gazing up at him with terrified, wide eyes.

"Dad, what's going on!?" she asked with a little frightened voice. Daryl smirked and looked down at her with an amused sort of expression.

"Lori's havin' her baby," he said simply, "It's nothing serious."

"It sure sounds serious!" Sophia demanded.

Daryl twisted his lips thoughtfully. Sometimes he had to remind himself that Sophia was thirteen now...not a child anymore.

"Well...it could be serious if anything goes wrong," he agreed, glancing at the stairway as Glenn rushed up them with a basin of water in his hands.

"She sounds like she's dying!" Sophia stated with a frightened look toward the stairs.

"She ain't," Daryl assured her, "But, uh, she's in a hell of a lot of pain. That's just how it always is."

Sophia mulled this over for a minute, taking in the screams and moans and frantic movements upstairs. Finally she met Daryl's eyes and took on a very serious look.

"I don't think I'll ever have a baby then," she stated firmly.

Daryl grinned and ruffled her hair.

"Fine by me, peaches," he laughed, "One less thing I have to worry about."

At that moment Carl came bursting through the door and headed for the stairs. Daryl was up in a flash and grabbed Carl in his arms and pulled him back into the living room. Carl didn't come easily, he lashed out and kicked and clawed and hollered, effectively catching his captor's jaw with a flailing fist which only made Daryl hold him more firmly.

"Calm down, kid!" he growled.

"What's wrong with her?!" Carl shrieked, "What's happening!? My mom!"

"Yeah, I know," Daryl muttered, "There ain't nothing you can help with up there. Your mom's havin' the baby!"

Carl almost immediately went limp and stopped fighting. He twisted his head to look at Daryl with wide and excited eyes.

"She is?!" he asked brightly, "She's finally having it!?"

"Yup, now I'm gonna let you go and you gotta stay down here until they say you can go up," Daryl said in a no nonsense tone. "Can ya handle that?"

Carl nodded, all the fight was gone out of him.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Finally, the screaming had stopped and the small group in the living room froze to listen to the silence. A smack and then a shrill cry split the silence and Daryl released the breath he'd been holding, even HE knew a baby was suppose to cry when it was born and the silence had stopped his heart for a moment.

Maggie came down the stairs moment later and smiled at Carl.

"Carl, would you like to meet your little sister?" she asked happily.

Carl nodded and jumped up from the floor where he and Sophia had been playing checkers, he was up those stairs in a flash.

Daryl sighed, glad the whole ordeal was over. He smiled when Carol finally made her way down the stairs with a pile of bloody blankets. He followed her to the laundry room where she placed them in a basket to take out and wash and he followed her outside too in silence.

"Hey you," he finally spoke up. She looked over her shoulder at him and smiled.

"Hey to you too," she replied as she set the basket down and handed him a bucket. "Can you do me a favor and pump some rinsing water while I go get the warm water?"

"Yes, ma'am," Daryl drawled, taking the bucket with his most charming smile.

He watched her walk back to the house and bit the inside of his cheek as he thought carefully. She wasn't acting right. He could really place it but there was something off about her and it had him concerned. She was trying to hide it too and that worried him even more...he was terrible at approaching sensitive subjects and when she tried to keep them from him it was even harder.

He watched her face and her posture and her walk as she returned to the yard with the warm wash water. She looked a little stooped, kind of like she was exhausted, and her face looked kind of...blank? Daryl full out bit his bottom lip as his worry increased.

"You alright, Daryl?" he heard her voice invade his thoughts and he let his lips go and smiled, "You look like you're trying to figure something out."

"Naw, I was just looking at ya," he said, only half truthful.

Normally, Daryl noted, she would have smiled and blushed and told him to hush or something like that, but this time she just ducked her head and remained silent as she got to her knees and laid the first blanket into the water, turning it red almost immediately. She eyed it with annoyance and sighed as she pulled the blanket out, dumped the bloody water and picked the basin back up to go refill it.

Daryl immediately took the basin from her and murmured that he'd fill it for her. She nodded and turned back immediately to continue her work. Daryl watched her for a few seconds and then headed for the house.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next day she was still like that, and the day after was the same. The final straw had been last night when she had flat out snapped at him and shut him down when he had tried to make an advance on her when Sophia was finally asleep. Something was wrong and Daryl was determined to get to the bottom of it. So he found himself climbing the ladder of the RV and sitting heavily down next to Andrea. All-knowing Andrea.

"Is this about Carol?" Andrea asked immediately. Daryl looked at her in awe, jaw slack.

"How did...?" he started but she just gave him a sad grin.

"Don't think I haven't seen her moping around, running on autopilot these last few days, sweet cheeks," she said sadly.

Daryl decided to let the term of endearment slide this time and he gave her a puzzled look.

"What's wrong with her?" he asked in desperation, "She'll barely speak to me! And she definitely won't let me even touch her lately! I don't know what I did."

"You didn't do anything," Andrea sighed, "She talked to me about it a few days ago, before this big hullabaloo with the baby and I meant to tell you but...well, we all got distracted by Judith."

"Wait, this has been brewing for a week!?" Daryl squeaked in shock. _Fuck...what the hell had he done!?_

"Yeah..." Andrea looked sheepish, "I'm sorry, I meant to talk to you, I really did!"

Daryl nodded heavily and ran a hand down his face to release some of the stress building up inside him.

"Well it's too late for 'meant to'," he muttered, "Tell me now."

Andrea glanced around to see if Carol was anywhere around and nodded when she spotted her skinning potatoes on the front porch. She turned her chair to face Daryl and leaned down slightly so he could hear when she lowered her voice.

"She told me...Daryl, the woman loves you like crazy, but there are some things you need to work on," Andrea began, "She came to me about a week ago and told me that she felt kind of cheap lately. Now, let me explain before you freak out! Here's the deal, Dixon, I know you're not use to this whole relationship thing but I KNOW you're capable of it...Carol wants some romance."

"But we..." Daryl tried to defend...well, defend something!

"I don't mean sex, Daryl," Andrea shook her head, "I mean _romance_. Yes, they are, or at least they CAN be, different things. She told me she _knows_ you love her, she doesn't doubt that at all, but she wishes you'd show her sometimes."

"What does she think I'm doing when...?!" Daryl started to snap but Andrea smacked his shoulder slightly to shut him up.

"Hush," she hissed, "Yes, that may be one way to show her, but what about showing her you love her for her personality? In this world lately we don't have the luxury of fancy restaurants and movie theaters so it takes a little bit of thought to be romantic."

Comprehension clicked in Daryl's mind and he thought back to the night he'd asked her to marry him; he'd never seen her so happy and it had nothing to do with the physical aspect, it was the atmosphere. God, he was such an ass! He leaned his forehead down on his hands and rubbed his eyes with his palms and groaned.

"Fuck..." he said quietly, "You're totally right, Andrea. She doesn't deserve this shit!"

"Then change this shit," Andrea suggested simply, shrugging as if it was the easiest thing in the world.

Daryl nodded in determination and stood up, heading for the ladder.

"Thanks, Andrea," he said honestly, "Sometimes you're pretty helpful...when you ain't tryin' to shoot my head off."

He grinned as she started fake hollering at him and he slid down the ladder with a laugh, plans already starting to swirl in his mind of how to take his woman on a date. An honest to God date with no intention of getting in her pants.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Alright, ya can look now," Daryl said with a grin as he removed his hand from over Carol's eyes. She stood there in silence as she eyed the thick blanket swinging gently in the breeze between the two trees.

"What's this?" she asked.

"Thought ya'd know a hammock when ya saw one," Daryl teased, giving her a playful poke in the ribs. She looked at him in confusion as he pulled her gently towards the makeshift hammock but she followed in silence.

He made sure she was settled in and balanced then he handed her the box he'd brought along while he carefully joined her in the large, swinging blanket. He grinned and took the box back from her, opening it so she couldn't see in and he was glad to see a spark of curiosity in her eyes as she craned her head trying to see.

"Quit peekin'," Daryl laughed, tipping the box towards his chest to conceal the contents. He wanted to growl in frustration when Carol's expression became contrite and she hung her head, obviously his teasing was going completely wrong. He shook his head to rid the feeling and pulled the first item out of the box. A slightly dirty, yet still soft and fluffy stuffed brown teddy bear with a bright red bowtie.

Carol took the offered bear with a confused look on her face but he saw the hint of a smile on her lips as she eyed the bear.

"I just...it was left behind in one of the stores in town and it felt wrong to leave it," he explained, "Gives you something to cuddle with when I ain't there when ya wake up cause I'm out hunting."

Carol test cuddled the bear and her eyes fell shut softly, her face looked peaceful and calm and Daryl felt his heart warm at the sight. There was the Carol he knew and loved.

But when she raised her head and opened her eyes, there was that blank look that had been troubling him the last few days. He moved on, taking the next item from the box. He handed the small, velvet box to her.

Carol flipped it open and he heard her little breathy gasp of surprise when she saw the glitter of the emerald bracelet inside. She lifted it out of the box and held it up in the moonlight, and Daryl saw her chin tremble a little before she smiled a soft smile and started trying to put it on. He reached out and gently took her wrist in his hands, he took the bracelet from her and clipped it on her wrist slowly, he suddenly felt very clumsy as he fiddled with the tiny clasp, but he sighed happily when it clicked.

"Emeralds match your eyes," he said, feeling like the words sounded foreign on his tongue. But he held back the hand that desired to badly to reach out and pull her into him and he nibbled the corner of his lips in silence, waiting for her to say something...anything. But she remained silent.

"And, um, one more thing," he finally moved on, reaching into the box one last time. He pulled out the familiar rectangular flat package and handed it to her, Hershey's logo up. Her eyes lit up and her mouth dropped open as she stared at the white letters. She took it with a trembling hand and ran her fingertips over it gently before finally raising her eyes to meet his.

"Thank you, Daryl," she whispered and Daryl felt a bit of relief flood over him at those first spoken words which ended the long period of silence.

He figured now was an appropriate time to finally let his hands have a little freedom and he reached out to pull her into his chest, laying back in the blanket with her halfway on top of him, he pressed his lips gently to her temple and nuzzled his nose into her hair, inhaling her scent. And he stopped there, not asking any more of her as he reached behind him to push the tree and make the hammock swing slightly then pulled the other blanket he'd brought over them to keep out the November night air. Carol's head rested on his chest and he started to twist his fingers through her hair as he looked up at the stars, thinking of what to do next. That's when he felt the warm wetness starting to seep through the material of his shirt and he felt a tiny little spasm in the shoulder his hand was resting on and he felt a jolt of dismay shoot through him. Carol was crying...and she was trying to hide it. He gently pushed her shoulder back, rolling her slightly to the side and ducked his head slightly to look at her face. There were thick tears dripping off her chin, their wet trails tracking down her cheeks, he immediately leaned in and kissed them away, the saltiness on his tongue just reminded him of how little he deserved her...he always seemed to make her cry.

"Carol," he whispered, his own voice starting to get choked up, "I'm sorry I've been such a fuck up lately. I...I know I need to work on being a better husband. I'm trying, Carol, I really am!"

To his surprise, she looked up at him and looked extremely confused.

"What?" she whispered thickly.

"Andrea told me what you told her earlier this week," he replied with a sigh, "You're right...I was treating you like you're cheap and you're fuckin' NOT! You're priceless and..."

And then the entire situation went from bad to worse when Carol suddenly burst into loud, uncontrollable, body wracking sobs. Daryl had absolutely no idea what to do, or what the hell he'd said wrong. It was like he would take one step forward and twenty steps back with her lately and he didn't know what else to do!

"Shit! Shit, Carol, what do you want from me?!" he finally lost all sense of resolution and he felt his throat constrict tightly and his eyes stung as unbidden tears started to slip over his lower lashes and slide pathetically down his face. He hated this. He hated that he'd made her cry and he hated that he was fuckin' crying! Dixons don't cry. Not Daryl Dixon anyway. But then again...nothing had ever hurt this bad before, it was worse than any beating he'd ever received, worse than any cruel words from Merle or either of his parents, worse than that arrow ripping through his side, worse than tearing open his leg. He'd never known anything could hurt this much. No wonder people always said love was hard.

He didn't know when it had happened but when he returned to reality, his face was pressed into Carol's shoulder and his entire body was shaking with the force of the emotional overflow he was caught up in, he vaguely registered he'd soaked her shoulder with tears but somehow he didn't care. He really didn't give a shit that she was seeing him like this anymore.

"Daryl," he heard Carol whisper, softly. Sadly. "Daryl, don't. Please, look at me."

Daryl took a deep, steadying breath and forced himself to lean back to meet her eyes. She was looking at him in sad surprise and her hands went to either side of his face, her thumbs wiped away the wet drops still slipping down his cheeks.

"Oh, Daryl, this isn't anything you've done," she said softly, her voice was thick with emotion. "I...this is all my fault. I'm completely to blame."

Daryl wanted to tell her to stop talking crazy but his throat refused to open and allow him to speak. Carol's eyes dropped down to the space between them and she dropped her hands slowly.

"I'm worthless," she whispered, almost so softly he didn't hear it. He felt his throat release at that moment and he immediately lifted her face back up, palms cradling her cheeks so she was forced to meet his eyes.

"Carol," he said in utter disbelief, "What the hell did you just say?"

"I'm worthless, Daryl!" she snapped angrily, and Daryl almost withdrew his hands in shock, but he fought the urge. However, she jerked her chin away and gazed out over the field. "Look around us, Daryl. We're an endangered species. Who knows how many actual people are left in the world? Here's Lori, having a beautiful baby girl...a hope for the future. But me? Weak, emotional, infertile me, I'm sitting here wasting your potential."

Daryl's eyes had widened to their maximum by this point so he let the shocked energy go into letting his jaw drop open and letting his head begin to slowly shake back and forth. He couldn't believe what she was saying.

"Carol..." he tried to console her but she raised a hand for silence.

"No, Daryl, don't even deny it," she sighed heavily, sounding defeated. "You're young and strong and handsome. You could have anyone. I mean, come on, it's practically our duty to save our species and here's you...wasting your time with me. I can NEVER. HAVE. KIDS. DARYL!"

And that's when the whole situation made sense. Of course, seeing Lori have her baby and watching the two of them so happy together and watching Rick and Carl's reaction must have torn her apart. Holy shit...

"Oh my god," he breathed quietly, gently snaking his arm around her shoulders and pulling her into his chest firmly. Surprisingly, she didn't try to resist and simply melted into him as all her strength drained. He let her snuggle into him in silence for a very long time, her occasional sob would send another jolt through him and he'd close his eyes and let it pass.

Finally, he took a deep breath and spoke.

"Carol, here's what I have to say about this. Fuck the world."

She sniffed and looked up at him from her spot on his chest.

"Fuck everyone's ideals about perfect couples. Fuck the idea of repopulation. Fuck the Grimes' perfect little family dynamic. But, most of all, fuck your thinkin' you're worthless!"

At this point he took hold of her shoulders and pushed her back enough to lock eyes with her. He was practically glaring, he knew, but he was so pissed he couldn't even imagine looking at her any other way.

"Now you listen to me and you listen good! I know seein' Lori and her baby brought up some really sore points but you gotta stop thinking that anything is ever gonna make me want you less. I don't give a shit if you can't have kids, and I don't give a shit about our age difference, and I don't give a shit if the human population dies out because of me not wanting anyone else. Now stop your crying and just accept the fact that you're stuck with me because, to me, you're the best thing I have and I am _never_ lettin' you go."

He immediately felt bad for his harsh tone and released her shoulders, looking away as he calmed himself down. He felt her eyes boring into the side of his face so he closed his eyes tight and started taking steadying breaths...and then he felt the feather light brush of her lips on his cheek and the anger melted away immediately and he sunk back into the hammock.

"I...I..." Carol's voice was soft as she laid down next to him, the tip of her nose just barely touching the arch of his right ear, her breath tickled but he remained still. "I love you."

He smiled slightly and rolled onto his side to face her, she was looking at him with a sad, but loving expression.

"Tell me we're gonna be ok," he demanded softly.

And then she smiled...a genuine smile that managed to make it through her sadness. She brought a hand to his chest and she took a handful of his shirt in her fist and she scooted closer to nuzzle her nose into his neck.

"We're going to be ok," she whispered, "But I honestly think it's a waste to keep all your genes to yourself."

"My genes are shit anyway," Daryl muttered with a chuckle, "Probably best to end them with me."

Carol giggled and Daryl thought it was the most amazing sound he'd heard in a very long time.

"If I could have a baby, I'd want a boy with beautiful blue eyes and your nose," she whispered after a moment of silence.

Daryl chewed his bottom lip quietly and pulled her a little closer.

"I'm sorry I can't give that to you," he whispered finally, and he realized how true it was. "But...Sophia has blue eyes."

Carol laughed lightly.

"You want to know something?" she whispered like it was a sacred secret, "I use to see Ed in her eyes every time I looked in them...but I can't even remember what he even looked like anymore. I do see you in her eyes."

Daryl grinned, he felt his chest puff up slightly on its own. Ed had cast a long shadow on him from the moment he'd noticed this woman and he wondered if he could ever slip out from under it completely...and at that moment he felt himself achieve that freedom. There was nothing left of Ed Peletier on this earth. Even his own flesh and blood daughter was Daryl's now...maybe there WAS a God up there watching over them after all.

"So...for real though," he suddenly thought of something, "Were you serious about what you told Andrea?"

"I never told Andrea anything," Carol said quietly, "But...I _was_ starting to feel a little bit...boring. I needed this. I don't know how she knew."

Daryl cast a glare in the direction of the RV. He'd made a trip into town today and that blonde meddler was just LUCKY she was right this time.

"Hey," Carol's whisper made him turn his attention back to her. She was holding up the Hershey's bar. "Wanna share?"

Daryl smiled and took the bar from her and opened it slightly, just enough to break off the first piece. He held it out between his thumb and index finger and ran the edge along her bottom lip, smiling as she gently opened her mouth just enough for the thin segment to slip through and come to rest on her tongue. She let it sit there for a bit, savoring the rich, sweet smoothness spreading over her tongue as it melted slowly. Daryl watched her face as her eyes dropped shut in ecstasy from the taste and the release of hormones the magic little treat triggered and he licked his lips as a thought flitted into his mind.

He set the chocolate bar down carefully so she wouldn't feel the movement and then he took his now free hands and cupped her face, leaning in quickly to capture her lips with his, his tongue instantly slipping into her mouth to dislodge the block of chocolate from its spot on hers. He tasted the sweetness of chocolate mixed with the natural unique flavor of Carol's mouth and he saw little sparks behind his eyes as he twisted his tongue around both her tongue and the sweet square. He smiled slightly when Carol began to get into it, then she clamped her lips closed on his tongue and sucked gently as she leaned back.

"Get your own," she whispered as she held up a piece of the chocolate bar. Daryl smiled a crooked smile and wondered at what point she'd broken that off! But she was wiggling it slightly, bouncing it on his lips and he didn't really care when she did it...she was just amazing like that. He parted his lips and took the chocolate between his teeth, then tipped his head back to let it fall into his mouth. He grinned cheekily at her and winked.

"I liked your piece better," he said playfully.

"Mmhm, I bet," Carol laughed and he thought she blushed but it was kind of hard to tell in the moonlight.

And they were quiet for a while as they savored the long denied flavor, each lost in their own thoughts. Daryl's thoughts were mostly of Carol and he kept glancing over at her then back up at the stars then to her again. Then he glanced over and found her looking at him too and he grinned, pulling her closer. He was pleasantly surprised when she reached an arm over to his other side and awkwardly propped herself up on her hand as the hammock wiggled with the movement then leaned down to claim his lips in a gentle, easy kiss. No tongue, no nips...just sweet and simple and almost innocent. So totally Carol.

"This is a really good date idea," she whispered as she pulled back slightly, "Can we please do stuff like this more often?"

"Do I always have to be the one to come up with the idea?" Daryl asked, "Because I only have so much imagination."

Carol laughed and kissed the tip of his nose like she did sometimes when she thought he was "cute".

"Don't worry, princess," she teased, "I'll take you out sometimes too."

"Oh, hush," Daryl laughed as he pulled her down onto his chest and flicked her ear in fake punishment.

After a while, they agreed it was time to go get Sophia and get some sleep. Daryl had been so tempted to suggest they experiment what sex in a hammock would be like, but he kept his mouth shut and felt pretty proud of himself for it and seeing Carol smiling like she was now was totally worth it. As they walked back towards the house, each holding a blanket and Carol holding her teddy bear, he leaned over and kissed her softly on her cheek.

"I love you too, by the way."


	43. Compromise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Daryl and Carl have a little chat about Sophia...and reach an agreement.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tip Your Waitress: ko-fi.com/panjamysy  
> Tumblr: solar-pxwered.tumblr.com

Carol knew there was something different about her daughter lately, and she was staring down at her from the RV where she was taking evening watch, scratching her chin absently as she tried to place exactly what it was. Said daughter was sitting on the porch with her chin resting in her palm, a faraway look on her face as she stared across the yard where Jimmy was chopping wood with Shane.

"Ya look like yer thinkin' pretty hard there," Carol's thoughts were broken by the sound of Daryl's voice as he swung up onto the top of the RV and sat down next to her. His eyes went to Sophia as well and Carol sighed.

"Just...have you noticed anything odd about Sophia lately?" she asked quietly. "I can't shake the feeling that I'm missing something important with her."

Daryl gave her a puzzled look but joined her in her silent observation of their daughter, his eyes flicked from her to Carol's left profile as a bubble of worry for his girls rose in his chest. He seriously hoped he hadn't missed something important.

"What makes ya think there's somethin' different?" he asked.

"She's just...I don't know," Carol tried to explain but ended up sighing and giving up, "She's been quieter lately and she's been spending a lot less time with me. She's been with Carl all day today and yesterday and the day before she was following Herschel and Jimmy around when they were cutting hay and..."

Carol's eyes widened and she lifted her chin from her hand suddenly. She smiled and began to laugh out loud as the thought finally hit her.

"What?" Daryl looked surprised at her sudden outburst and he looked up at her with wide blue eyes that begged for an explanation. "What's so funny, woman?"

"Oh my gosh, it's so simple!" she said, more to herself than anything.

"Well, if it's so simple, why ain't I figured it out?" Daryl asked in annoyance.

"She's got a crush on Jimmy!" Carol said with a smile. Suddenly she realized what she had figured to be a blank expression was really one of star struck adoration towards the young man chopping wood.

"Aw, fuck no," Daryl groaned, burying his face in his palms, "Please don't say that."

"Why not?" Carol asked, surprised.

"Because I ain't ready to deal with this," Daryl admitted, shaking his head with his eyes squinted shut firmly.

"I thought we agreed that I would handle this issue when it came about?" Carol reminded him. Daryl looked at her and sighed in relief.

"That's right," he grinned, "I think I got the better end of the deal."

Carol sighed as she watched her little girl get up and walk over to the woodpile. Ok, so she WAS thirteen now but still...this seemed way too early.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Dad?"

Daryl almost let out a yelp at the sound of Sophia's tiny, unexpected voice behind him. He ran his hand down his face and took a deep breath to calm his rapid heartbeat. Turning, he smiled down at her...and realized how he didn't have to look down as far as he use to. Shit, she was growing fast.

"Yeah, peaches?" he asked, hiding the fact that he was suddenly uneasy.

"What do boys like about girls?"

Daryl felt like his lungs collapsed in his chest at that simple phrase. _Please go find your mom! This is not my area of expertise!_

"Uh...'Phia..." he wracked his shocked brain for an appropriate reply to her question, "Didn't your mom already explain this?"

"I know all THAT, dad," Sophia scoffed, clearly taking slight offense. "I just mean...how can I make a boy like me?"

_Somebody save me. I can't handle this. Shit. Shit. Shit._

"Peaches, why the hell would you want some boy chasin' after you anyway?" he asked with a unhappy tone, "They ain't nothin' but trouble."

"But...you chased after mom," Sophia reasoned, "And she doesn't seem to think you're any trouble."

This was far too uncomfortable. He needed to make a clever escape, think of some reason to postpone this discussion...forever.

"Yeah, well, yer mom ain't thirteen," Daryl grumbled, "There's a big difference there. And I didn't chase her." That last comment he mumbled out more to himself.

Sophia cocked her head at him, not looking convinced.

"Well, I don't want an OLD boy," Sophia rolled her eyes, "I like a young boy."

Daryl wondered if he should feel insulted by this. Old? Was he really old? He didn't _feel_ old...but maybe he was and just didn't realize it.

"Why don't you go talk to your mom about this?" he suddenly asked, making the fact that he wanted her to quit asking him questions very clear.

"At least mom won't treat me like a baby about it," Sophia grumbled as she turned to leave, "She'll have the balls to talk to me about it."

"Having them is what's making all the difference here," Daryl called out to her as she walked away in a huff. She just gave him a look of annoyance over her shoulder and kept walking.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Carol was giggling when she came trotting across the yard, her hand over her mouth and her eyes squinted with merriment...Daryl assumed their talk had gone well.

"What are you cackling about?" he asked with a grin as Carol stopped next to him where he was stacking wood onto the already impressive pile.

"Oh, it's just so funny," Carol kept on giggling, "I forgot what it's like to be so young and lovestruck."

Daryl squinted questioningly at her.

"I thought you _were_ lovestruck," he stated, a teasing tone in his voice.

"Oh hush," Carol grabbed onto his arm and squeezed it tightly as she leaned into him. "I meant like...lovestruck and hopeless. She doesn't have a chance with Jimmy."

"Thank God," Daryl muttered, rubbing Carol's arm absentmindedly. "Kid's a dumbass."

Carol smacked him in the chest, not that it even hurt but it shocked him back to reality and he grinned at her.

"He's not a dumbass, Daryl," she said firmly, "He's just...too old for her, number one. Number two he's Beth's boyfriend. Number three..."

"Number three, he's a dumbass," Daryl pulled away from Carol and laughed as her second attempted smack missed him by a mile. She growled playfully and chased after him, but he stayed ahead of her with no problem as he led her in circled around the woodpile. Finally, he spun back around, grabbed her around the waist and swung her in a half circle which caused her to squeal and laugh before he set her back down. He leaned in and gave her a quick kiss.

"Ok, so he might not be the sharpest claw in the paw, but I swear, Daryl Dixon," Carol said breathlessly as she smoothed out her shirt. "Sometimes you act like just like a teenager."

"Naw, Sophia says I'm old," Daryl replied snarkily.

Carol leaned forward on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek quickly.

"Well, she's wrong," she stated simply.

They worked together and got the rest of the wood piled up and Carol tagged along with him as he headed to the campsite by the RV to cut out some new arrows for all of them.

When she rounded the RV ahead of Daryl she gasped loudly and covered her mouth quickly and turned around, burying her head in his chest as she fought back a guffaw of laughter.

"What the hell are you so giggly about today?" Daryl asked with a sigh.

"Look!" Carol whispered, stepping aside so he could glance around RV.

She'd seen it, but she barely believed it. Sophia and Carl had been sitting on one of the logs by the burnt out campfire, holding hands as Carl leaned over and kissed Sophia. And not on the cheek either. It was cute and Carol found herself smiling brightly. Apparently her daughter had taken her seriously when she suggested maybe Carl would be more her type than Jimmy.

"I'm gonna kill that kid," she heard Daryl mutter angrily and he started to move forward with determined purpose so she grabbed him firmly and yanked him back. He gave her an annoyed look.

"Daryl!" she snapped, "They're just kissing. They're kids let them have their fun."

"JUST kissing?!" Daryl growled, "Carol, in case you ain't noticed, kissin' can turn to more REALLY quickly! I know exactly what's goin' on in that boy's mind, it ain't nothin' new."

"Oh, hush!" Carol rolled her eyes, "Carl's a good kid."

"Good kid or not," Daryl said firmly, "It don't change the fact that he's a BOY."

Carol studied his face carefully. He looked pissed...and concerned.

"You think you've gotta do the 'protective father' routine, huh?" she asked quietly.

Daryl squinted at her, but sighed.

"I just...think the kid ought to know he can't just do whatever the hell he wants," Daryl claimed, "Someone's gotta give him that fear of God."

"Fear of Daryl, you mean?"

"Whichever works best."

Carol sighed and waved him off, setting him loose to do his thing.

"Sophia!" Daryl snapped loudly, causing the two young kids on the log to literally jump apart, their faces flushed with embarrassment at being caught in mid-kiss.

"Dad!" Sophia looked absolutely horrified.

"Go to your mother, young lady," Daryl muttered darkly, his blue eyes were stern and Sophia knew better than to argue, so she shot Carl an apologetic look before jumping up and swiftly heading to where Carol was waiting by the RV. Daryl watched as Carol put her arm around Sophia's shoulders and led her towards the house then he turned his stern and fierce gaze on Carl who shrunk into himself as much as possible.

"Mr. Daryl, I..." Carl started to defend himself but Daryl shushed him with a look.

"You wanna tell me what the hell you're doin' kissin' my daughter?" he asked, his voice deep and threatening.

Carl blushed even brighter and hung his head like a scared puppy.

"I...we..." he squeaked quietly, his eyes locked on a tuft of grass.

"Look at me, boy!" Daryl growled. Carl quickly raised his head, eyes wide and met Daryl's pissed gaze. "You gonna act like a big man, you better answer me like one. I'll ask ya again, what d'ya want with my daughter?"

"I...I don't want anything, Mr. Daryl," Carl said, his voice still small, but his eyes remained steady, "I like her, I've always liked her."

"You like her, huh?" Daryl said, not sounding at all pleased.

"She's been my friend since we met on the road to Atlanta," Carl admitted softly, "She was scared and I told her it was all going to be ok."

Daryl squinted, not sure what exactly this had to do with what he'd just walked up on, but he figured Carol would tell him to give Carl the chance to explain in his own way so he let the kid pour it all out.

"I just...want to take care of her," the boy continued, "And when I told her that she...she kissed me."

Daryl's left eyebrow shut up under his shaggy hair and he turned his head slowly to look over at Sophia and Carol where they sat on the porch in deep discussion. Damn, the girl was her mother's daughter for sure going around kissing guys without warning.

"That's the story you're gonna go with, kid?" Daryl scoffed, shaking his head.

Carl sighed and scuffed the dirt with the toe of his shoe.

"I don't blame you for not believing me," he mumbled, "Mom warned me you were gonna be mad at me if you found out I liked her. She said you'd never see me as anything but some boy tryin' to get your daughter."

Daryl sighed and glanced back to the porch where Sophia was leaning into Carol's shoulder as she talked. He felt a little sick flutter in his stomach but his anger and indignation started to fade as he looked at his girls...Sophia was a smart kid, and Carol had raised her right, and who the hell was _he_ to judge anyone's character? Carol had given him a chance, looked past his flaws; maybe he owed this kid the same benefit of the doubt.

"Look, Carl..." Daryl found himself muttering as he took a seat on the log next to Carl, who scooted nervously away to the edge of the log. "I ain't sayin' ya can't like her."

Carl looked up, clearly surprised.

"Hell, kid, I ain't gonna tell ya to stay away from her," Daryl continued, surly and gruffly. "I trust her, even if I don't really trust you, and I'm gonna go with her on this and give you a chance to prove that you ain't just some brat tryin' to...just better keep your hands t' yourself."

Carl's eyes were widening bigger than ever, a tiny smile threatening to twitch on his lips. Daryl didn't fail to notice it.

"Don't smile at me, boy!" he snapped angrily, "This ain't something to be amused about. I'm tellin' ya right now if you hurt my daughter or touch her in any way I don't like...I'm gonna hurt ya. You think I won't, just try me, I dare ya."

Carl shook his head.

"I...I won't hurt her," he said meekly, "I'd never hurt her."

"Listen kid, I know what goes on in that mind of yours," Daryl stated grimly, his eyes burning into Carl's with a dark threat. "I know EXACTLY what teenage boys think about. Just sayin', you better keep it in your...ya just better think before you act."

Carl nodded quickly.

"Cause I got a dozen sharp-tipped friends right here," Daryl tapped his crossbow for emphasis, "And I always hit what I aim at...you got me?"

"Yes sir," Carl replied softly.

"Good," Daryl nodded once, "Now, prove me wrong boy, because at this point, you're just some boy tryin' t' get my daughter."

He stood quickly and swung his leg over the log, heading to the porch to see how Carol was doing with Sophia. Sophia gave him a poisonous glare as he walked up and he gave her scowl in return as he leaned against the railing and looked down at them.

"Don't like the look yer givin' me, kiddo," he said grimly as Sophia continued to glare at him.

"What did you tell him, dad?!" Sophia snapped suddenly, her voice was thick with accusation and this made Daryl squint at her angrily, warning her to watch her tone. "We weren't doin' anything wrong."

"Just mackin'," Daryl sniffed angrily, "Like hell ya weren't doin' nothin'!"

"Daryl," Carol warned carefully, but Sophia had obviously picked up some of her daddy's temper because she jumped up to stand toe to toe with Daryl, staring directly at him, eyes blazing.

"We weren't "macking"," she almost screamed in his face, causing Daryl to raise his eyebrows in surprise. "And for your information, I kissed HIM!"

Daryl didn't flinch, didn't move a muscle as he stared right back at his stubborn ass daughter, trying to make her back down. When she didn't budge, he looked around her to where Carol was nervously chewing her fingernail and jerked his head to convey he wanted to talk to Sophia alone and that she should go give Carl her insight. Carol nodded silently and smiled slightly as she went to speak with the Grimes' son.

"Sophia, sit down," Daryl's voice left no room for argument, and after a moment's hesitation, Sophia huffed angrily but sat back down on the top step. Daryl sighed heavily and sat next to her.

"Sorry," Sophia muttered quietly, clearly realizing who she'd just stood up to.

" 'Phia..."Daryl chewed his bottom lip as he sought for the words to say, "Sorry I snapped at ya. But I'm just...not use to this. I ain't really...never really had any plans t' be a father and I kinda got thrown into it but, damn it, girl, I love ya and I don't wanna see ya get hurt."

Sophia didn't speak, she just put her chin in her hands and looked down at the dust of the driveway as the wind blew tiny pebbles in front of her.

"I know you think I'm being an asshole," Daryl continued, leaning over his knees and turning his head to try and catch Sophia's eyes. "But, I got thinkin'...you're a smart girl and yer mom taught ya how to behave. So...I told Carl he could see ya if ya'll behave."

Sophia looked up in surprise, her eyebrows furrowed.

"You...you did?" she asked, "You didn't scare him away?"

Daryl laughed bitterly.

"Wanted to," he admitted, "Wanted to kick his ass...but, I'm not really in the position to judge. Just be smart, peaches."

Sophia smiled slightly at the nickname and threw her arms around Daryl's midsection suddenly.

"You can trust me, dad," she said happily, "I won't disappoint you."

"You never have, 'Phia," Daryl said with a smile as his daughter rose from the porch step as a little girl and stood in front of him a young woman. "And I know you never will."

Sophia blushed and smiled before turning to run across the driveway to the campsite where Carl and Carol were smiling and laughing. Daryl had a feeling it was something he had said that they were laughing about but he didn't really care...he suddenly felt his heart squeeze uncomfortably and he growled as he walked towards the woods. Hunting would surely get his mind off all this.

"I sure wish someone had told me about all this ahead of time," he muttered to himself, "Maybe I coulda prepared m'self."

He remembered a song suddenly that he'd heard a long time ago, before the end of the world, about tough little boys becoming dads and turning into big babies...as much as he hated to deny it, this was the bitter truth.


	44. Mistakes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Daryl and Carol have a major fight after Sophia is kidnapped.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tip Your Waitress: ko-fi.com/panjamysy  
> Tumblr: solar-pxwered.tumblr.com

Daryl stretched his sleep-stiff legs almost dramatically, then let the stretch ripple up the entire length of his body, to the very tips of his fingers. Sighing, he forced himself to sit up, joints popping from the lack of movement during the night, and rubbed his eyes firmly to help them focus in the darkness of the early morning.

He twisted his neck, causing a nasty crackling pop sound, and then reached out from under the blanket to grab his crossbow. He pulled on his boots and stood up, grabbing his jacket and winter coat and slipping them on. Then he dropped to his knees, grabbed his buck knife and leaned down to press his lips to Carol's temple.

"Mm, mornin', Daryl," she mumbled sleepily, rolling over to look up at him. He smiled.

"Mornin," he whispered back, "I'm goin' out."

"I'm going with him!" Sophia suddenly announced from behind him. She had her bow in her hand and was pulling on her boots.

"We're going out," Daryl corrected himself, "See you when we get back. Be safe."

He handed her the machete and laid her bow and arrows next her in the spot he had occupied all night. He hated leaving her alone up here by herself, but she had refused to move closer to the house when he suggested it. They had both gotten use to the privacy of their location.

"You be safe too," Carol mumbled as she started to slip back into sleep, "Keep an eye on her."

"Yes, ma'am," Daryl smiled and kissed her once more before he and Sophia slipped out of the tent.

Daryl shivered slightly as the cold air hit him and he sighed, wishing it was spring again...before all this shit happened, before the world went to hell. But, then again, he'd be living under the same roof as methed up Merle, alone and cold hearted...so maybe this winter chill in the current circumstances wasn't so bad after all.

"C'mon, Squirt, let's go kill things," he ruffled Sophia's hair as he walked past her in the direction of the woods.

Sophia giggled and followed behind him as they made their way to the woods in silence, taking careful and quiet steps even now before they were beneath the cover of the trees. When they reached the edge of the woods, Daryl gave Sophia a nod for her to head to the left but stay in his sight and they split apart slightly as they made their way into the trees.

Daryl spotted a trail very quickly and crouched low as he followed it forward, recognizing the tracks as fox and thinking fox fur would be a pretty awesome addition to the collection of furs he already possessed and planned on making into useful things.

Sophia had taken up on his body language and dropped into a crouch of her own, carefully angling her body till they came together further into the woods. She mouthed her question of what they were tracking and he mouthed back "fox". Sophia's eyes widened and she stopped in her tracks, causing Daryl to turn his head and look at her in confusion.

"Daddy, please don't hurt it," she whispered, her blue eyes were brimming with tears.

Daryl felt a bit of anger flair up inside him, his survival instinct told him it would be foolish not to go after any game he could find...but his heart told him his there was no way he could handle the look his daughter was giving him. When he thought of all the death and destruction and ugliness she had seen in her short life, he felt his throat tighten angrily.

"C'mon, Sophia," he whispered back, continuing his tracking.

Sophia didn't look pleased at all, but she hung her head and followed in silence. Daryl knew their quarry was just over the next hill and he slowed Sophia up with his arm and put his finger to his lips. He carefully moved up to the top of the hill and, sure enough, spotted the fox on the edge of the creek, digging at something on the bank. He turned back to Sophia and motioned for her to come up and she made her way silently to his side.

They lay there on the cold, frozen ground together, watching the fox dig up a mouse and eat it then smiling when the fox began romping like crazy, jumping up into the air and twisting, landing gracefully with a foxy yip and then leaping again. Playing, like foxes were known to do. Sophia watched with a big grin until the fox decided it was time for it to go back to wherever it came from and took off into the brush, never even aware that they were there.

"Thank you for not shooting it, dad," Sophia whispered when it was gone.

"Didn't feel like fox today anyway," Daryl shrugged with a grin. "How's squirrel sound?"

"Delicious," Sophia replied with a roll of her eyes.

"Beggars can't be choosers," Daryl teased, standing and taking aim at a squirrel over the hill. Of course he pegged it and he and Sophia exchanged a high five.

They slid down the frozen embankment and he plucked the squirrel off the end of his bolt and put it on his ever present game string. Sophia nocked an arrow and headed for the edge of the clearing.

"Where ya goin', 'Phia?" Daryl asked quickly.

"Heard a rustling," she explained, "I'm gonna try and get it."

Before Daryl could even respond to her statement and call her back or move to stop her, he felt something connect with the back of his skull hard and his vision flickered for a moment before it went completely black. The last thing he saw was Sophia's arrow embedding in chest of large man.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When Daryl came to, the first thing he noticed was that his head felt like he'd just been sat on by an elephant and then he noticed the back of his neck was sticky with blood...and then he noticed the body lying on the edge of the clearing.

"Sophia!" he yelled out, causing his eyes to squint in protest at the sound. He forced himself to his knees and tried to stand but only succeeded in stumbling back to his knees as vertigo hit him, so he settled for dragging himself across the ground toward the body.

It was a man, a big one. He eyed the face, trying to decided if there was anything about his he recognized, anything on him that identified him, but nothing looked familiar. He examined the arrow in his chest...Sophia's. This made him rise shakily to his feet again, but this time he maintained his upright position and he began scanning the ground with trained skill and his anger and fear just increased as he read the story written on the ground. There had been a scuffle, he recognized Sophia's small footprints and he deciphered two pairs of larger feet...men. Suddenly, the smaller prints of his daughter disappeared and he knew she'd been picked up and carried.

"Mother fuckers!" he screamed helplessly to absolutely no one, sending birds flying in fear. Growling like a deranged animal, rage flooded every sense he possessed and he was immediately on their trail, following their heavy-footed trail with ease. He'd find them. He'd kill every single one of them. He'd get his daughter back.

But the trail suddenly went absolutely cold. He'd seen a third pair of prints, larger, heavier...but then all traces of them just vanished. Even his highly skilled eyes couldn't pick up a trace, but he didn't give up and soon he found himself on the edge of the woods on a dirt road. He found tracks then, the same tracks as before and tired treads as well. He eyed the direction they disappeared in with fury before turning on his heels and running back the direction he came.

By the time he reached the shooting range on the outskirts of the farm he felt like his lungs were going to split open and his legs shook from the distance they'd covered and pace he had forced them to take. He leaned over for a moment to catch his breath but his adrenaline was still pumping and he made himself keep going until he reached the tent where Carol was sitting on the old stone fireplace sewing a pair of Sophia's ripped jeans. The sight of them made everything so much worse and Daryl felt his stomach turn and he dropped to his knees and emptied the contents of his stomach, not that that was very much, onto the ground. He stayed there, sucking in air and coughing, his lungs couldn't take one more yard.

"Daryl!" Carol's panicked voice reached his woozy brain and he raised his head to look at her as she dropped into a crouch next to him. "Daryl are you alright? Where's Sophia?!"

"She..." _Damn it, lungs! This is more important than you, fuckin' work!_ "She...they..."

"DARYL, WHERE IS SHE!?" Carol shrieked, hurting his ears again. He felt his vision swim for a moment and he closed his eyes to try and focus. "Daryl, LOOK AT ME! Where the fuck is my daughter!?"

Daryl felt a spark of indignant anger rise up in him, doubled with the frustration of not being able to speak for the burning pain in his entire airway.

"Took her..." he gasped out.

"WHO TOOK HER!?" Carol gripped the front of his shirt and shook his firmly, her eyes were wide and frightened.

Daryl sucked in another breath and felt like maybe the burning was starting to lessen.

"Don't...know..." he wheezed, forcing himself to suck in another breath no matter how much it hurt. How far had he fuckin' run? He had no idea...but he had a feeling it was farther than his body would have been capable of under normal circumstances.

"You don't KNOW?! Daryl, didn't you see them?!" Carol stood up, somehow dragging him up with her. Daryl's eyes widened at her sudden strength and he gripped her wrists firmly out of instinct. "How could you not have seen them?!"

The combination of not being able to breathe, not being able to think and Carol yelling in his ears was starting to wear on Daryl's patience. She should be running to the farm and getting the group ready to go after Sophia instead of interrogating him when he couldn't even tell her anything in the first place!

"Fuck...Carol...shut up!" he coughed out.

"SHUT UP!? SHUT UP?" Carol released her grip on him and gave his chest a firm shove as she stepped back. He saw a look in her eyes he'd never seen before and it was absolutely terrifying. "How DARE you tell me to shut up?! My daughter has been kidnapped right out from under your fucking nose and you have the audacity to tell me to shut up!?"

Daryl took an involuntary step back as Carol stepped forward threateningly.

"How could you let this happen? How could you be so irresponsible?" Carol didn't stop her approach and she gave him another firm shove, putting her entire upper body into it. "How could you let them take her?!"

"I...I didn't...they..." Daryl's lungs began to calm down and he found he could breathe a little better but still, he was in condition to defend himself so he just stepped back a little further, but he felt that familiar anger flaring up in his chest.

"No! There is no excuse! Of all people, you should have been able to protect her!" Carol's words stung him far more than the angry pushes and her tone. The look on her face was one of accusation and disbelief and...was he reading that right? Hatred?

"Carol, I wasn't..." he tried to soothe her, to calm her down. He reached out to pull her to him and she twisted violently out of his grip, moving to the side to come at him again.

"Don't make excuses!" Carol's pitch was beyond what he'd thought her capable of, her eyes were crazed with fury, "You're her father! I trusted you! How could you let this happen?"

She was accusing him. Blaming him. Angry at HIM. He was beginning to get really annoyed at her behavior, because this was NOT helping Sophia and time was of the essence here.

"Carol, please, we don't have time for this..." he tried to make her see reason, and he was fighting hard to keep the anger that was bubbling inside him under control. She was being unreasonable, reckless and this was complete and utter bullshit! He'd been jumped, there was nothing he could have done!

"Shut the fuck up!" Carol shoved him firmly again, "Don't give me your excuses, I'm tired of your damn excuses! This is your fault! You're a complete JOKE, pretending to be all big and bad and unbreakable but you can't even protect your own family!"

She gave him another, heated, angry shove and he felt his heel connect with the stone fireplace, running out of room to back up from her assault and he tightly closed his eyes to take the hits, every muscle on edge from the tension.

Carol's next words came out in a cold, monotone: "No wonder your mother opted out."

And that was all he could take. Maybe it was the flashbacks flitting through his mind at the feeling of being backed into that stone, images of whips, broken bottles and fists all flying in his direction, or maybe it was the look on her face, the hatred practically oozing out of her pores and the blame in her eyes, maybe it was the words she was saying, maybe a mix of all of these factors...but whatever it was, Daryl felt every ounce of self control just snap inside him and before he could even register what he was doing, his hand shot out and connected with Carol's left cheek with a loud and resounding _slap_!

The second it happened, he regretted it. As soon as he felt the sting of the connection on his hand on her skin he hated himself. The moment Carol stepped back and raised her hand to her face the anger was gone. The moment she looked at him, eyes wide with disbelief and distrust, brimming with tears and full of fear...he wanted to take it back, take everything back.

"Carol..." he whispered in complete and utter shock, horrified by his reaction.

But Carol stepped away and stumbled slightly as she did, her mouth opened as if to speak but the only sound she made was a heart wrenching wail as she spun around and ran, full speed, towards the house. Daryl stared after her for a moment before he sank to his knees as his stomach turned again, dry heaves wracking his stressed out body.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_Slap!_

Carol could still hear it in her mind, she could still feel the sharp sting on her cheek and she could still see the absolute ferocity in those blue eyes of the man she'd come to love. She still couldn't quite believe it. She couldn't believe herself even more...the second the words left her mouth, she wished she could have cut her tongue out.

Daryl had told her the story of his mother's suicide once, about the fire. His father and Merle had blamed him, told him it was his fault, that he'd driven her to her last act of desperation. She remembered the look on his face when he'd told her the story, the guilt and shame and hurt...and she'd just ripped that half healed wound wide open all over again.

And yet...she couldn't quite feel completely unjustified. Her daughter had been kidnapped, taken from her once again and this time it was his fault. This time was looking much bleaker. This time, she was in the hands of complete strangers, strangers who were obviously up to terrible things and he'd been unable to stop it from happening. All the things he'd promised about keeping them safe had just been proven wrong and she was too clouded with grief, fear and disbelief to feel any sympathy for him at this moment.

When she stumbled onto the porch, her strength gave out, the adrenaline wore off, and she collided with the door and slid down onto the wood of the porch in a crying heap. She wasn't sure who, but somebody lifted her, bridal style and kicked the door open, taking her inside where a group of shrieking people gathered around and began shooting questions at her.

"Shut up, all of you!" came the voice of her carrier, she recognized it as Shane and she finally managed to bring her brain into the now. Shane laid her gently on the couch and knelt next to her. "Carol, are you ok? Can you tell me what happened?"

"Oh my god, her face!" Carol glanced over to see Maggie clasping her hand over her mouth as her eyes widened. "Someone hit her!"

"Sophia," Carol made her dry mouth say, "They took Sophia!"

"Who took her?" Shane was remaining irritatingly calm, but she somehow felt confident that he would help. He would help more than Daryl.

"I don't know," she started sobbing and felt big fat tears slipping down her face, "They took her when she was out hunting with..."

"With?" Glenn asked.

"With Daryl, you ass, who else?" Shane snapped over his shoulder. "Carol, don't worry, we'll find her. We'll leave as soon as possible and we'll find her."

And Shane stood and was out the front door hollering for Rick in a flash, Glenn and T-Dog on his heels. Maggie knelt down in Shane's place, a rag filled with ice cubes in her hand which she pressed to Carol's cheek.

"Does it look that bad?" she asked softly as Maggie gave her a sad look.

"Swollen," Maggie replied, "It's gonna bruise really nasty. Who hit you, Carol?"

Carol felt her throat close tightly and she turned her face away, staring at the floral print of the table lamp.

"It doesn't matter right now," she said blankly, "I want to go find my daughter."

She pushed Maggie away and stood up, keeping the washcloth pressed to her face, making her way to the doorway. Just as she reached for the handle, the door flung open and she jumped back when Daryl stormed in. He stopped in his tracks when he saw her and his eyes squinted painfully as his eyes scanned her face.

"I...we're..." he dropped his eyes and glanced to the side to speak to Maggie, "Rick, Shane, Glenn and I are goin' to get Sophia back."

"We'll hold the fort," Maggie stated grimly, her eyes shooting daggers at him. "Bring that little girl back."

"T-Dog and Andrea will be on watch and patrol in case anyone unfriendly shows up," Daryl stated as he began backing up, his eyes then came back to Carol. "I'm gonna find her. I WILL find her."

Carol ignored him and backed away, into the living room to take a seat by the window so she could watch them leave. She heard Daryl heave a heavy sigh and then the door slammed loudly and he marched angrily to his motorcycle and kick started it roughly. He yelled something at the blue truck the other three were in before tearing up the driveway as he sped off, leaving them to follow in the cloud of dust he left behind.

Carol felt a hand on her knee and she involuntarily jerked in surprise as she looked over at Maggie, the young girl looked up at her from where she knelt with concern.

"Carol...they'll find Sophia," she whispered, "But there's nothing you and I can do at this moment. Let's get you calmed down and cleaned up."

"I should be looking for her," Carol whispered helplessly.

"You wouldn't know where to begin, honey," Maggie said sympathetically, gently taking the washcloth and handing it to Lori who nodded and headed to the kitchen to replace the melted ice cubes. "Those men know their stuff and Daryl will find their trail, you know he will."

"I don't know anything about him," Carol whispered, almost inaudibly.

Lori returned with the washcloth and sat next to Carol, wrapping her arms around her.

"Carol, honey, did he do this?" she brushed her finger down Carol's cheek. Carol pulled her head away but let herself give in to the comfort and nodded slowly.

"Asshole," Maggie stated angrily, standing up to stomp her foot on the floor angrily. "This isn't your fault, how could he do that!?"

And it all came crashing down on Carol at that moment. Everything hit her at once. Her daughter was missing, taken, stolen...and her husband was hurting just as much as she was. She hadn't given him a chance to explain what happened, didn't give him a chance to even tell her _where_ it had happened. She'd physically attacked him and blamed him and said horrible, unforgivable things to him and she hadn't even stopped to think how he must have felt, how scared he must have been. She'd suddenly felt as if she had earned this swollen face, she deserved it. It was a feeling she hadn't had since the quarry and the weight of it turned her stomach.

"I'm gonna be sick," she muttered, standing quickly and running up the stairs heading for the bathroom. She made it to the toilet just in time to bend over it and release the physical tension and stress into it. Her mind replaying the scene over and over again, his frightened, hurt expression burned into her mind's eye. The instant regret after he had reacted and hit her, something she didn't even think he was capable of.

What had she done?


	45. Both Sides

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the boys locate Sophia and Andrea hears both sides of the story.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tip Your Waitress: ko-fi.com/panjamysy  
> Tumblr: solar-pxwered.tumblr.com

Carol had been in the bathroom for hours. Andrea had come in from walking the perimeter after she'd traded with T-Dog and found the woman curled on the floor next to the toilet, her face pale and sweaty and she was shivering on the cold tile.

"Oh, Carol..." Andrea sighed, she was so bad at this comforting thing. She knelt next to the crumpled woman and lifted her head to look at her face. Tear streaks lined her cheek and Andrea thought she looked years older than she should, her hair was sticking out like she'd been clutching at it.

"Andrea, I..."Carol started to whisper but she choked up and hung her head back down.

"Carol, they'll get Sophia back," Andrea claimed, completely believing her words. "Those men won't give up. Daryl will track them down and they'll bring her back."

"I keep telling myself that," Carol whispered, putting her hands flat on the floor and pushing herself into a sitting position. Andrea's eyes then noticed the dark bruise that covered a large portion of the left side of the woman's face and her hand flew to her mouth as she gasped sharply.

"Carol," Andrea breathed in disbelief, "What happened to you?"

"Nothing," Carol replied sharply, "It doesn't matter. I just want my daughter back."

"Doesn't matter?!" Andrea's reply may have been a bit sharp, but she knew Carol was good at hiding things. "Carol, someone hit you and I'm not going to just let that slide...who did it?"

Carol's bottom lip quivered for a moment before she suddenly let out a broken sob.

"It was Daryl, wasn't it?" Andrea asked grimly, her jaw clenched tightly when Carol confirmed her suspicion with a nod.

"Carol, honey, would you please come on downstairs and try to eat something?" Lori's voice interrupted the moment and Andrea glanced over her shoulder to find Lori looking at them sheepishly from the doorway.

Carol sighed heavily, but nodded. Andrea helped her stand up and they all made their way downstairs together. Patricia had a package of saltine crackers in her hand and she poured some into a bowl and handed it to Carol who took it with a nod of thanks before sitting down heavily in a kitchen chair. Andrea noticed how her eyes fixed purposely on the floor as she avoided everyone's eyes.

How could that be true? Daryl would never hit her, would he? There was no doubt in Andrea's mind that the man was head over heels in love with Carol, one hundred percent devoted to keeping her happy and safe. She'd seen him go against everything about his personality to please her...but why would Carol lie about it? She loved the man more than the sun and stars and she'd never pin something like this on him if it wasn't the truth.

"Let me see that bruise, Carol," Maggie said softly, bringing Andrea back to the present. Maggie was squatting next to the chair, holding a cold, wet rag against Carol's cheek. "Good Lord, that's really swollen. He must have really laid into you."

"Brute," Patricia muttered darkly from the sink.

"Animal," Lori hissed in agreement. Carol's pained expression didn't escape Andrea's calculating gaze and she decided she needed to get both sides of this story. She would never condone abuse no matter what had happened, but she knew Daryl and there was something off about all this. Carol was too distressed to even explain the situation.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Andrea stepped out into the chilly evening air as T-Dog was coming in. He handed her the rifle and told her there was nothing to report so she thanked him and headed toward the field. She passed Carl and Beth who were sitting together on the log, watching the driveway anxiously for the return of the search party. Carl had two things to worry about: his father being out on the search AND Sophia being taken.

Andrea sighed and made her way to the fence line to walk it and keep watch for anything suspicious, her mind was going one hundred miles per hour as she tried to reason out the events of the morning. Who would kidnap a little girl and just leave a grown man knocked out without either taking him too or killing him to keep him quiet? Where could they possibly be hiding? Why had Daryl stooped so low as to hit Carol? What had she done to deserve it? Would they find Sophia?

Her thoughts were interrupted by the roar of a familiar engine and she scanned the tree line once more before heading back towards the farm to greet the men who were returning from their man hunt. Daryl was the first to arrive, skidding to a stop near the porch and kicking the kick stand down with a fierce scowl before he cut the engine.

"Daryl?" Andrea asked quietly, not even bothering to put too many words into the question. She got her answer just from the look in his eyes...they hadn't brought her back. He sniffed and turned to go inside and she followed him quietly.

Andrea felt the air in the kitchen tense immensely as soon as Daryl stepped onto the tile. Maggie's eyes narrowed, Lori's chest puffed out angrily, Patricia turned and leaned against the sink with her arms crossed. Only Carol looked remotely glad to see him, but she soon dropped her head and avoided his eyes when she saw his expression. Andrea knew they were all pissed at him because of what he'd done to Carol, but Andrea felt a bubbling of anger towards the prickly women in this kitchen all of the sudden. Yes, it was terrible if it was true what he did, but there was no reason to treat him like this, especially since she KNEW he was hurting just as much as anyone, Sophia was his daughter too.

"I...we..." he stuttered, his eyes wide as he took in the three angry faces before him. "I couldn't..."

"Daryl," Andrea said softly, carefully placing her hand on his shoulder. She wasn't surprised when he flinched before he tensed and let her touch him, "Come on, you don't need to take this."

She practically felt the three pairs of eyes burning into her back as she gently turned Daryl by his shoulder and pushed him toward the door, but she didn't give a shit what they thought. Someone needed to get both sides of this story and no matter what the man had done, Daryl wasn't the enemy here.

"I'm sorry, Daryl," she said softly as he drug himself down the porch steps and swung a leg heavily over his motorcycle. "I really want to talk to you, if that's alright?"

"Can it wait a little bit?" his voice surprised her. It was choked, thick with emotion and Andrea thought she heard it crack at the end.

"Take as long as you need," Andrea said with a nod. "And Daryl!"

He hesitated his escape and set his feet down to come to a complete stop and looked over his shoulder, waiting for her to finish.

"I know you'll find her. You found her once, you'll do it again."

And he graced her with the saddest, most pathetic half smile she'd ever seen before he kicked the engine alive and took off across the field towards his and Carol's tent. Andrea thought she'd never seen a man look so much like a damn kicked puppy as Daryl did at that moment.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Andrea offered to take the night watch while everyone else got some much needed sleep. There had been a long discussion when all the men had returned and the whole thing had only succeeded in making Carol cry even harder and dampen everyone's spirits. They'd tracked the tire treads and they'd led to a camp in a gorge...there had been too many men to even consider launching an attack. They were working on a plan to approach them diplomatically so as not to jeopardize the safety of the entire group. The heavy tension in the house mad Andrea thankful for the night shift on watch and only after the house was completely dark and silent did Daryl Dixon come walking across the field, slowly, head hung low.

Andrea kept her eyes on the tree line as she felt him climb up onto the RV roof with her, silent as a shadow but his movements much heavier than normal and not at all calculating.

"Did they tell you what we found?" he asked, breaking the silence between them as he sat on the roof next to her lawn chair. She looked down at him and nodded.

"Yeah," she whispered sadly, "Are you sure they've got Sophia?"

Daryl nodded grimly.

"If they hurt her..." he started, a bit of that old fire flaring up in his deep growl. But then he sighed and shook his head. "I'll kill 'em, all of 'em. But it's going to be on my shoulders...this is all my fault."

Andrea waited for him to continue, knowing that Daryl Dixon responded better to silent kindness than any words she could really say at this point. However, she did slide down off the chair to sit next to him at his level.

"I'm...I don't know what to do anymore, Andrea," Daryl confessed after a long period of silence, "I've screwed everything up in just one fucking day! My daughter got kidnapped and Carol..."

He swallowed hard and looked away, blinking rapidly as he tried to hold back the tears forming in his eyes, but Andrea could see the shimmer of them on his eyelashes from the moonlight.

"I wanted to ask you about that," she admitted quietly, "I...I know you hit her."

Daryl nodded, looking absolutely miserable.

"I just want to hear your side of things, Daryl," Andrea assured him, "I know you'd never do that unless...I don't even know what could have made you do that, actually. But I just think someone should be willing to give you a chance to defend yourself."

"I don't even wanna defend myself," Daryl muttered sadly, "It don't matter what she said, I...that was..."

And he finally broke, he pulled his knees up and leaned his forehead down onto them as his entire body shook with effort of holding back the tears but it was futile because Andrea's ears were flooded with the sound of Daryl Dixon, badass, unbreakable Daryl Dixon's, helpless crying. She was so shocked she didn't even know what to do at first so she resorted to her womanly failsafe and wrapped her arms around his shoulder in a tight hug. She held on until he shrugged her off and looked up again.

"She was right," he whispered, "It was my fault. I should have kept her safe. I...I wasn't watching close enough. I couldn't even keep her safe so how can I possibly keep Carol safe too? Look what I fuckin' did to her!"

"Daryl..." Andrea gasped lightly, horrified by the things he was saying, knowing he was only spouting back what Carol had said to him earlier that day. She waited for that one thing she must have said that had made him fly off the handle.

"I'm not good enough for them," Daryl continued miserably, "All I am is just...a complete failure. Carol sees that, all those women in there see it too...my mother saw it."

Andrea wasn't expecting that one, she sensed it was an important statement but she couldn't piece it together. His mother?

"How can I ever look Carol in the face again, Andrea?" Daryl whispered, sounding drained and tired, "I can't even imagine how she's feeling right now. Everyone was right all along...I am just like Ed."

"Now you hush your fuckin' mouth, Daryl Dixon," Andrea stated firmly, her hand went to his chin and she tilted his head in her direction. "You're nothing like Ed! NOTHING! You think he'd even give a shit if Sophia was missing? Would he be making any effort to rescue her? Would he feel at all guilty about hitting Carol? No, he wouldn't. YOU do because YOU love them like he NEVER did. Do not let yourself believe that you don't."

Daryl squinted at her sadly and sighed, clearly not convinced.

"And Carol loves you too," Andrea claimed, letting go of his jaw. "She feels terrible about whatever she said. I heard her tell Maggie she wished she could take it all back. She feels exactly the same way you do right now. Scared, unsure, afraid you hate her now...I KNOW you both can fix this."

"I'm going to get her," Daryl suddenly stated, almost as if he was ignoring her statements. "Andrea, I'm going to get Sophia back tomorrow morning before anyone else wakes up. Diplomacy be damned, I'm going in there and I'm getting her back. Ain't no point in risking anyone else's safety."

"Daryl, I think..."

"Don't tell," Daryl warned darkly, "I'm tired of this sittin' around and planning shit, that's what got her lost the first time and I ain't letting it go that long again. Just...do me a favor?"

Andrea knew there was no stopping him. He was going to go no matter what.

"Anything," she sighed sadly.

"Just...let Carol know...in case I don't come back, that...I'm so sorry and I...I love her."

"You'll come back," Andrea insisted, "But I'll tell her anyway, just because she needs to hear it."

Daryl nodded and stood abruptly and walked towards the ladder, leaving Andrea sitting on the roof in stunned silence.

"Andrea," his quiet voice drifted from the ladder, "Thanks for...for believing I ain't a total piece of shit."

Andrea nodded with a smile and Daryl was gone, heading back to his tent to get much needed rest before he went after his daughter in the morning. She watched him go with a soft smile...there was so much more to that man than even he knew.


	46. Brother

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Daryl launches a rescue for Sophia.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tip Your Waitress: ko-fi.com/panjamysy  
> Tumblr: solar-pxwered.tumblr.com

Daryl hadn't slept at all that night. He knew he needed to, knew he was mentally, emotionally and physically exhausted...but how could he sleep knowing his daughter was in the hands of strangers of obvious ill intent? How could he sleep knowing his marriage was probably ruined by one rash move? He tossed and turned and eventually made peace with sharpening his knife, cleaning his guns, checking the quality of his arrows, waxing his bowstrings...until he decided he was wasting time and couldn't possibly sit back and wait anymore. He stood up with a growl and went to work on concealing his handgun, buck knife and another knife which he stuck in his left boot for extra security, then he grabbed his bow and strapped it to the motorcycle behind him before mounting up and bringing it roaring to life, the sound reflective of his own attitude right now.

He hesitated for a moment, his mind telling him to go and tell Carol his plan, to say to her face the things he'd told Andrea to say...but he shook his head and sighed, knowing she probably wasn't in any mood to speak to him, not to mention he didn't want to risk being discovered and having Rick order him to stay...not that he would anyway. No, right now all that mattered was getting Sophia back safe...then he would decide what to do about Carol.

He walked the bike a little ways before he revved up and headed towards the road, turning to the right and heading along it until he came to the slightly overgrown gravel road a few miles down. The night was cold, but the moon and stars were bright and clear in a cloudless sky and he was glad of it because he was going to need the light for what he was planning. He roared down the gravel road for quite some time, judging the distance carefully, before he finally turned off the headlight and killed the engine and pushed the bike off the road into the trees. He unstrapped his crossbow, shouldered his quiver of arrows and continued his way along the road as silent as a shadow, his mind focused solely on one thing: he was getting his daughter back and he would kill anyone who got in his way.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The camp was silent, that much he could see from his vantage point behind the branches of a large fallen oak tree right on the edge of the gorge where the thirty plus tents were pitched, along with one semi truck cab. His trigger finger itched anxiously, every inch of him just screaming at him to get down there and kill all those motherfuckers and get Sophia home...but his hunter's instincts appealed to his more reasonable side and told him silence and caution were going to aid him much more than impulsiveness. So he stayed there, crouched in the shadow of the fallen tree, watching the three men he'd spotted on the borders of the camp walk back and forth along the perimeter on their night watch, his keen eyes searching for a way past them. He was considering an area to the rear of the camp where a copse of trees jutted out into the gorge, he could sneak into them and possibly make it past the guards in that direction but the only problem was that he had no idea where Sophia was being kept! He bit his bottom lip in silent frustration and continued watching the camp carefully, knowing he had to try something soon before the sun came up and took away the element of surprise and his shady cover.

Finally, he took a deep breath and slipped silently along the side of the gorge towards the trees, which he followed down the slope to the opening of the gorge where he waited in their cover to get a feel for his new position, looking for any sign of Sophia as he crouched there.

_Alright, Daryl...let's get her back._

Daryl took a deep breath and let it out slowly through his lips before slipping out of the cover of the trees in a hunter's crouch, crossbow raised and ready as he made his way across a patch of moonlight to melt into the shadow of one of the tents. So far, so good.

He listened closely to the tent, listening to the breathing of the men inside and tried to hear anything that sounded like the softer breathing of Sophia. Carefully, he cut a small hole in the canvas and peeked through to be sure but there were only two men inside, sprawled out and snoring slightly so he moved carefully across the next open space to the tent on the right and did the same thing, but found almost the exact same thing inside. He started to think she was closer to the center of the camp in one of the bigger tents so he began to formulate a plan to reach the main tent in the center without being spotted. Carefully, he slid out from between the two tents he'd checked and crept across to the next circle of tents a few feet forward from the outer circle.

He finally managed to make it into the inner ring and he eyed the large tent in the very middle cautiously, wondering how he could sneak in and get his daughter out without waking anyone up or alerting the guards...but he didn't have time to be worried or afraid and he made his way forward carefully, crouching by the entrance with his crossbow raised and his buck knife clutched in his steadying hand in case he had to go hand to hand then he slashed the doorway open quietly and looked inside. It was completely empty.

Suddenly, the whole gorge was filled with flashlight beams and a spotlight from the semi cab focused on him, blinding him when he spun around in shock. He heard shouts from all directions and he took aim at the first person he saw and let his arrow fly, feeling a sick sense of pleasure as the bolt buried deep in the man's chest. Immediately, Daryl pulled the string back and placed a bolt on it, lifting and taking another shot, this time it was a man with a flashlight and his over stimulated mind was grateful for one less light shining in his eyes. But that was all he could manage with the bow and he soon let it drop at his feet and he pulled the handgun from his pants and began popping off carefully calculated rounds into the approaching mass of angry men, a sick, delighted madness began to flood his body as his mind told him he wasn't going to make it out alive but he was damn well gonna put a dent in their numbers. When the handgun clicked empty he dropped it and went into a defensive crouch, holding the buck knife and the knife from his boot in his hands, ready to take down anyone who came close enough.

After a few angry, fierce slashes and some aggressive jabs, Daryl found himself swarmed by the crowd and he was on his knees in the dew soaked grass in a matter of seconds, firm and ruthless hand clamped on his shoulders and in his hair, pulling his head back roughly. He glared daggers at the faces hidden in shadow as his eyes struggled to focus in the brightness of the spotlight. But then he heard something that made him go into a state of utter confusion...clapping?

"Well done there, ya little bastard. Took out a nice chunk o' my men...like a Dixon oughta."

Oh god...that voice had haunted his nightmares since the quarry. It couldn't be, could it? His suspicions were confirmed when the spotlight was cut off by a figure that stepped in front of it.

"Merle," Daryl said grimly, his tone was cold. He kept his face clear of emotion, especially fear.

"Well, hey there, Darylena," Merle's lips lifted in a wicked smile that made Daryl almost want to jump up and knock those teeth right out of his mouth. "I've been expecting ya, surprised you didn't show up a lot sooner."

"You've got my daughter, you bastard," Daryl said darkly, "Just give her to me and I'll get out of your hair. I don't want no trouble."

Merle looked like he was thinking something over, but he gave a little whistle and then pointed at the semi cab where a young man opened the door and jumped down, a bound and gagged Sophia in his arms. He stood her on her feet and stayed just outside of the spotlight's glow, but even from there Daryl could see the fear on the girl's face as she stared at him with wide eyes. He gave her a slight smile before glaring up at Merle who had come to crouch beside him as the men holding him down grabbed his wrists and held them at his back.

"Now, here's the deal, little brother," Merle's voice was silky smooth, like a lawyer or a crooked cop might sound. "We've taken real good care of her, ain't harmed a hair on her head."

"Give her to me and I'll promise the same to you," Daryl threatened quietly. "But if you don't let her go, I won't even bat an eye when I kill every last mother fucker in this camp."

"Where'd ya get that spunk, little brother?" Merle laughed, clapping Daryl on the shoulder almost like he was genuinely pleased. "It's like ya grew a pair after ya left me to die in Atlanta."

"I went back for ya, you piece of shit," Daryl growled loudly, "All ya had to do was wait, or go back to the quarry after you took our van. YOU are the one who left, not me!"

"Looks like ya handled yourself pretty well," Merle commented, "Except I think, by the looks of it, you're pussywhipped. I seem t' remember this little spawn from the quarry...the mousy abused woman, right? Good plan to go for the weak ones, they don't fight back as hard as someone like that blonde lawyer bitch."

"She ain't weak," Daryl's muscles tensed angrily as he felt that defensive protectiveness rise in his body, "She's the strongest woman in our group."

Merle chuckled in amusement and stood up, looking down at Daryl and shaking his head.

"You really are whipped, ain't ya?" he asked, "Let me ask ya somethin', Darylena...what's that little girl worth to ya?"

Daryl squinted angrily up at his brother, wondering where this was going.

"What do you want?" he asked carefully.

Merle jerked his head and the young man with his hand on Sophia's shoulder suddenly shoved her forward, causing her to stumble and fall forward, her palms connecting hard with the ground as she tried to steady herself. Daryl felt white hot rage shoot through him and he struggled like a crazy person against his holders but they dragged him down with no problems.

"I told you not to hurt her," Daryl heard Merle's cold, dangerous voice and he looked up just in time to see Merle embed the blade attached to his stump into the man's stomach. He watched the young man fall to the ground and writhe around in the grass, moaning and howling in pain as he slowly bled out...and Daryl was glad to see it.

"What's your angle, Merle!?" Daryl's patience was gone. He wanted loose, he wanted to rush to his little girl and hold onto her, shielding her from the men in this gorge, to take her home and hand her over to Carol and see the thankfulness in her eyes...maybe even forgiveness as well. "I'm sick of your pussy footin' around!"

"My boys here have decided to make for the coastline," Merle stated grimly, glaring at the group around him, "It's a dumbass plan, but it's what they all want. Well, I ain't going along on a suicide decision...so I'm rejoining our good ol' group under that dumb ass Shane guy."

"Shane ain't in charge," Daryl growled, shaking his head, "And Rick'll never let you back in the group...and neither will I."

Merle rolled his eyes and crouched in front of Daryl, gripping his jaw almost painfully tight and giving his head a shake as he chuckled darkly.

"See, little brother...ya don't have much of a choice here," he explained, looking over his shoulder at Sophia. "I'm comin' back this mornin' with ya and your pretty little girl over there...or my boys here'll do me one last favor and take out your entire little beloved group by nightfall. Including your little ragdoll, second hand whore."

"Fuck you!" Daryl snapped angrily, "You touch her and I'll slit your fuckin' throat!"

Merle's eyes darkened at that and Daryl felt that familiar fear deep down inside come crawling out from behind the wall of strength Carol and Andrea and Rick and Sophia and everyone who'd helped him become who he was now. It reared its ugly head over that wall and Daryl's mind flooded with images of Merle's drunken fists connecting with his already bruised and shredded body from facing Pa and Ma, images of being slammed into the wall by his shirt collar for even suggesting that Merle had had enough drugs or booze for the night. The look Merle was giving him now was the same as the look he'd had back then, only the drug induced haze was absent from his blue eyes.

"I've made my offer," Merle said, his tone dangerously low and serious, "Make your choice."

Daryl dropped his eyes to the grass and took a few deep, steadying breaths...but then he raised his eyes and met Merle's without a speck of fear.

"Let me go," he stated firmly, "And you can come back with me."

And just like that, like nothing had ever happened, he felt all the angry hands holding onto him release and he fell forward on his hands and knees. But he was on his feet in a split second and he scrambled to Sophia, lifting her to her feet and immediately working the knots on her wrist loose and removing the gag.

"Daddy!" Sophia's sobbing voice cut right into his heart and as soon as the ropes were off her hands he knelt down and pulled her into him tightly, pressing his lips to her temple as she sobbed into his shoulder.

"Did they hurt ya?" he asked seriously, praying silently that nothing had happened to her beside just being tied, gagged and terrified. Thankfully, she shook her head and wiped the tears from her eyes bravely.

"No, they...they didn't hurt me at all," she sniffed sadly as she clutched onto him firmly. He pushed her away gently to get a good look at her.

"Ok," he said soothingly, "It's gonna be ok, we're going home."

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Daryl and Sophia walked silently along the gravel road together toward the spot where Daryl had stashed the bike away in the woods, Merle was sending his mob of people on their way East and would meet them on the road in a minute or so. He actually pulled up in a dirt caked Chevy Silverado the exact moment Daryl spotted the marker he'd left to show him the way to where the bike was hidden.

"Good t' see ya took care of my baby," Merle commented upon seeing the bike. Daryl eyed the machine with furrowed eyebrows, he hadn't even thought about the fact that he'd have to give it up now...it _was_ Merle's, after all.

"I told ya I didn't give up on ya," Daryl muttered darkly, mounting up for what he thought would very well be his last ride on it. He motioned for Sophia to get on behind him and he smiled when her arms slid around his waist and held on tight. For a moment, despite the present circumstances and the unexpected addition of their newest comrade, despite Merle's threats and temper, despite what he'd have to face when he got back to the farm, and despite his fear of facing Carol and trying to repair them...he felt, for just a moment, that everything was going to be ok.


	47. The Box

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Daryl puts some space between him and his family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tip Your Waitress: ko-fi.com/panjamysy  
> Tumblr: solar-pxwered.tumblr.com

Carol woke up the next morning with a heavy heart, guilt was almost literally strangling her as she thought back over the previous day. She stared at the ceiling from the makeshift bed on the living room floor next to Andrea who had just come in from the night shift on guard. Carol waited until the blonde's breathing was steady and slow and she knew she was asleep before she rose silently and tip toed across the room and down the hallway and she carefully pushed the back door open and slipped out into the misty, pre-dawn grayish light and headed straight for the tent across the field as she pulled her coat tighter around her to keep out the cold. She made a wide arc around the RV to avoid catching Dale's eye as well as any attempts to stop her or question her.

When she reached the familiar camp she knew right away that something wasn't right and then she noticed the bike was gone and her heart jumped into her throat.

_God...no...please, no._

_**That's right, you bitch! Did you honestly expect him to stick around after all that shit you said to him!?** _

_No, he didn't leave! He couldn't have!_

Carol unzipped the tent and stepped in, the familiar scent of Daryl washed over her and she felt tears sting her eyes as she fought to see reason. He would never have left everything behind if he was leaving, he would have taken the rifle, his clothes, the spare keys to his truck and bike...he hadn't left for good. He wouldn't do that and she knew it. And then it dawned on her who would possibly have the answer. Andrea.

Carol took off at a run across the field which had her panting by the time she reached the farmhouse. She leaned on the railing for a moment to catch her breath so she wouldn't wake anyone up with her wheezing and then slowly crept inside and shook Andrea's sleeping form.

"Andrea," she whispered, "Andrea I need to ask you something."

"Mmmm?" Andrea mumbled as she rolled over and looked at Carol through sleep-heavy eyes.

"Do you know where Daryl went?" Carol tried to keep her voice calm, but she had a suspicion she was losing that fight. "I went to talk to him this morning and he's gone."

"He went to get Sophia back," Andrea murmured, "Don't worry, he'll be fine."

With that, Andrea rolled back onto her side and was asleep almost immediately and that left Carol with nothing to do but leave the room full of sleeping people and head to the kitchen. She leaned against the counter and let a few soft sobs escape. He would bring her daughter back, just like he had before...only this time she didn't know how she would even be able to form words to thank him or if he would even listen to her. She wouldn't blame him if he didn't.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When Carol heard that familiar rumble of Daryl's motorcycle, she jumped up from the couch where she was sewing a button back on her cardigan and ran for the front door, skidding to a stop in the dirt of the driveway next to Jimmy, Shane and Glenn who were out hauling firewood to the stack by the house after cutting it under the trees by the RV. Her heart was slamming in her chest as Daryl rolled up to the small group and killed the engine, setting his feet on the ground and glaring at the dust cloud that blew over him from the dry driveway.

"Daryl...?" Carol whispered, the question she was asking wasn't necessary to put into words. But she could clearly see Sophia wasn't with him, which could only mean he hadn't found her.

"I need Rick to get out here," Daryl ignored her question and looked directly at Shane, "Now."

Normally, Shane would have shot back a snarky remark or question Daryl's authoritative tone, but this time he must have seen something in that look that spurred him and he was off at a trot for the barn where Rick was helping Herschel repair some loose floorboards in the loft. Carol caught Daryl's eye once, but after that he avoided looking at her completely, his cold eyes stayed fixed on the "SS" symbol on the bike's tank...she'd always hated that logo and wished right now she could just rip it off.

"Daryl!" Rick's voice sounded somewhere between angry and relieved, "What the hell were you thinking, taking off alone like that?!"

"I was thinking my daughter is more important to me than a few loose floorboards," Daryl's reply was low and daring, just daring Rick to scold him any further. Rick stared at him silently, some sort of understanding passed between them and he nodded.

"You didn't find her?" Rick asked, the anger gone from his tone.

"I found her," Daryl replied darkly. Carol felt her guts clench, he'd found her...but she wasn't with him...

"No..." she found herself whispering, her hand going to her mouth to hold back the sobbing that was threatening to burst from her. Daryl's head whipped around in her direction and she found herself caught in his dark, blue gaze...but there was something else there, reassurance.

"She's alive," he stated, and Carol thought he directed it solely to her, "But...he wouldn't let me bring her this far until we talked this out."

"He?" Shane barked roughly, "He, who?"

Daryl sucked in a long, deep breath and then released it slowly.

"Merle."

There was an explosion of angry outbursts and some shock gasps from the porch where Lori and Andrea had come out of the house.

"MERLE!?" Shane roared, "He took Sophia!?"

"Yes," Daryl replied, sounding calm, but Carol could see the muscles of his jaw twitching like her was grinding his teeth and she knew he was fighting to stay calm and rational...a sign she'd missed the other morning, or just ignored. "He was runnin' with a group from Atlanta and they all decided they would make for the coast. Well, Merle didn't like the idea and he wanted to get me alone...so he took her, knowing I'd come after her."

"What the hell does he want!?" Andrea hissed, coming down off the porch in an angry storm. "Who the hell does he think he is!?"

"He wants to rejoin the group," Daryl's head hung low and his voice was quiet, so quiet only Carol, Rick and Shane heard.

"No way, Rick!" Shane shook his head fiercely, "Merle Dixon's a worthless piece of lying shit! You KNOW we can't trust him!"

"But..." Daryl looked up, his eyes wide.

"No, it's out of the question," Shane hollered back, making Daryl's eyes squint angrily. "Rick, you let that son of a bitch anywhere near us, we'll be watching our backs every second of the day! We can't afford to be watching out for a methed out psychopath AND walkers!"

"The man's a sick maniac," Andrea muttered in agreement.

"I know!" Rick stated loudly, over the hullaballoo. "Of course there's no question about it, he can't be trusted in the group."

Carol's eyes remained on Daryl despite the heated arm waving and pointing and raging around her, his blue eyes were full of fear and he kept opening his mouth as if to speak but someone else would always cut him off...but Carol knew what Daryl was trying to say and it made her mad that no one was turning to the man who knew the situation for his opinion. Without thinking about how much he must hate her right now, without thinking of how scared she was to be within his reach now that her mind replayed that smack over and over, and without thinking of how people would feel about her taking his side, she stepped forward to his side, stuck her fingers in her mouth and let out a sharp, piercing whistle which caused a silence among the group and all eyes to turn to her.

"Be quiet! All of you!" she yelled, stamping her foot for added effect, "Don't you see what's going on here? Merle Dixon has my daughter and the only way he'll give her back is if we give him a place in this group! I don't CARE what he's done in the past, you WILL accept his terms and get my daughter back to me!"

"Carol..." Rick started, his voice diplomatic.

"No, Rick!" she hissed, cutting him off, "There is nothing to be discussed here!"

"She's right," Lori's soft voice drifted from the porch and she came walking over to stand next to Carol. "If Merle would kidnap her, what makes you think he wouldn't hurt her? Rick, there is only one option...Merle Dixon will be given a second chance and we will get Sophia back."

Both Rick and Shane seemed to Carol like a pair of scolded coonhounds, tails tucked between their legs as they hung their heads and nodded slowly.

"Alright," Rick's voice was thin sounding, tired and worn. Shane's eyes looked up from under his brow, glaring at the back of Rick's head. "We give him a chance. Daryl...go tell him the news."

Daryl nodded and kicked the stand up on the bike to walk and turn it around.

"Daryl...can I come with you?" Carol asked as he reached to turn the keys. She saw his hand twitch and hesitate before starting the engine, but she saw the small nod of acceptance he gave her and she threw her leg over the bike and sat behind him, her arms going around his waist instinctively as he lifted one foot off the ground and started forward slowly. He soon gained enough momentum to raise both feet from the ground and they were tearing down the driveway before Carol even realized it, her arms tightened more and she could practically see the tension rolling off of him in waves, it was heavy in the air and in the way his shoulders and back tensed at her touch.

About two miles down the road, where an old gravel road turned off, Carol saw a large, black truck parked to the side. Merle Dixon's imposingly large figure leaned against the front of it, Sophia looking very small and breakable next to him, her eyes wide with fear. But when she saw Carol slide off the bike when it stopped, she squealed and tried to run forward, only to be held firmly in place by Merle's rough hands on her upper arms.

"Let her go!" Carol snapped angrily.

"Well, now ain't we just a demandin' bitch?" Merle's gravelly, high pitched voice made her skin crawl and she just glared at him. She felt a hand on her arm and she glanced at Daryl, the touch sparking a jolt of familiar feelings through her when she realized he was pushing her slightly behind him as he stepped forward, being defensive even if he was silent about Merle's statement.

"I told 'em," he muttered grimly, "They're gonna give ya another chance. Now let Sophia go and we'll head t' the farm and try t' put this behind us."

"Well, now wasn't that simple, baby brother?" Merle sounded almost genuinely happy and he released his hold on Sophia who scrambled away from him and ran straight to Carol's open arms. Merle walked over and held out his hand. "Keys."

Daryl eyed the keys in his hand, the keys to the bike he'd become almost a part of, and sighed sadly as he let them drop into Merle's open palm. Merle, in turn, held up a set of keys and handed them to Daryl.

"That oughta be fair," he commented, jerking his thumb back at the truck he'd arrived in. "Replace that old junker of yours."

Daryl eyed the truck with apprehension.

"What's wrong with it?" he asked darkly.

"Ain't nothing wrong with it, little brother," Merle sounded almost legitimately insulted. "But I ain't got much need for it now that I got my baby back."

Carol sneered as Merle ran a hand lovingly over the bike's tank, she knew for a fact he loved that machine more than his own flesh and blood brother.

Daryl stared at his brother for a moment, then glanced down at the keys in his hand, then back to Merle. Finally, he shrugged and started walking to the truck, nodding for Carol and Sophia to follow. Carol gave Sophia a little push and they walked over and climbed up into the passenger seat and middle of the large bench seat. The truck was huge compared to Daryl's old blue and white number, with leather interior and a CD player, power windows, a full bench seat in the extended cab. Shiny and new...something she knew Daryl wasn't use to. He climbed in the driver's seat and started it up, Carol noticed the quick grin that flashed on his face at the roaring rumble of the powerful engine and she almost giggled when he revved it twice.

Something about this moment made her feel like maybe everything would be ok.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

By nightfall, things looked a whole lot better than they had, even if everyone was on edge. Merle had actually acted pleasantly enough towards everyone, with a good helping of rudeness, crudeness, sexual innuendos and typical Dixon charm thrown in. He'd even stopped glaring at T-Dog by the time supper was over so Rick gave him a sleeping bag, pillow and a blanket and told him he was welcome to sleep in the barn. Surprisingly, he accepted with little complaint and left the house without a word, going straight to the barn without even detouring to visit Daryl at his tent.

"I don't get it," T-Dog muttered as the barn door went black, Merle's lantern blown out. "He don't even seem half as pissed off as he use to."

"It's a trick," Andrea muttered, "He's waiting for us to get our guard down."

"She's right," Shane muttered, "This was a big fuckin' mistake, Rick. I can't even say you'll live to regret it with that guy around!"

Carol sat and listened to the heated argument for a while, but her head soon started to hurt and she snuck out of the room and onto the porch for some fresh air. She leaned on the railing and looked out over the field, seeing the firelight of her and Daryl's campsite on the horizon. Suddenly, like a moth drawn to the flame, she felt her body drifting toward the glow. She passed Glenn on watch and he warned her to be careful, which she responded she would and made her way across the field.

She felt like her lungs were closing up on her as she approached the campsite, knowing full well he was still feeling the effects of yesterday and still suffering immensely from her cold, heartless words. Hell, her cheek still stung and that bruise wasn't permanent...words don't go away like cuts and scrapes and broken bones do.

"What are ya doin' here?" Daryl's cold tone cut into her thoughts and she gasped, spinning around as she tried to locate him. She finally realized he was sitting on a branch of the huge fallen tree just on the edge of the area they had called home. He wasn't looking at her, his eyes were focused on something far away, she could tell by the glint of the firelight on his pupils.

"I came to...to talk to you," Carol replied, lamely, suddenly feeling very self conscious and nervous.

"Don't ya think you've said enough?" Daryl asked in that same tone. Emotionless.

"I said more than I ever intended," Carol acknowledged sadly. "Daryl...I can't even imagine how much what I said hurt you. I wish I could take it all back, but I can't. Can you ever forgive me?"

Daryl was silent, his eyes never even flicked in her direction.

"I've already done that," he finally replied. Carol felt a little bit of hope spring up inside her. Daryl suddenly shifted on top of the tree and jumped off, landing almost noiselessly in the tall grass. He walked right past her and unzipped the tent then he motioned her over. Carol peeked past him and her heart dropped...all of her stuff, and Sophia's, was packed up in the box she'd brought it in. He pulled a flap of the box and drug it out of the tent, letting it sit ominously between them.

"Daryl..." Carol whispered in utter shock and hurt disbelief. "Please don't do this. Please don't push me away after all we've been through...I love you."

Daryl squinted at her for a moment, and then shook his head slowly, his eyes moved to the side to focus on the flames from the small fire he had going.

"No, Carol...ya don't." he said quietly, regretfully. "I think ya did once, but not now."

The words hit Carol like a crossbow bolt to the heart and she blinked rapidly as tears sprang into her eyes and began falling down her cheeks.

"But...you can't believe that," she whimpered.

"I don't want to," Daryl partially agreed, "But if ya can only see the me ya want when everything is fine and we don't have any problems, but then turn on me and blame me when something goes wrong...that ain't love. You can't just love me when it's easy, and I've seen that you can't handle it when it's hard."

Carol felt her guts clench painfully and she felt the urge to throw up...he was right. She'd not even bothered to consider him during that moment the previous day, hadn't even cared that he was bleeding like a stuck pig from that hit that had knocked him out, hadn't even gotten the whole story from him before attacking him like he was the enemy...like he didn't matter to her at all. But now, faced with the possibility of losing him, she knew she was a changed woman. She wanted this man, his love, his respect, his trust...she wanted him more than life it's self.

"Daryl...please...give me another chance," she pleaded through her tears, her voice barely audible due to her tight throat.

Daryl seemed to be thinking hard for a moment before he bent down, picked up the box and sighed.

"I ain't saying I give up just yet, Carol," he said quietly, sounding very sorry. "But I need you to give me some space to think. Because I need to decide if I'm willing to keep giving everything I can...and only getting half o' you in return."

A heavy, tense, sorrow filled silence hung over them for a long time as Carol processed what he'd just said. She realized now that he was right...she had failed to give him her whole heart and trust and devotion, and Sophia's kidnapping had only brought that fact to light. A very harsh and cutting light. She'd cut him deeply this time, deeper than any of those scars that covered him ever had.

"I'll carry this to the house for ya," Daryl's voice brought her back to the moment and she followed him guilty, heartbroken silence as they made their way across the field. When they reached the farmhouse, Daryl set the box on the porch and backed away, his eyes on the ground at his feet as Carol went forward and picked the box up to take it inside.

But when she looked back over her shoulder, his eyes met hers and she saw the battle raging inside him. A battle between respect for himself and love for her and Sophia...a battle she'd caused and could now do nothing to calm. He nodded silently and then turned on his heels to make his way back to their...his tent.

"Daryl!" she called out to him, her voice choked. He paused his walk and turned a bit to look over his shoulder at her. "I...forgive you. You know that, right?"

"Yeah, well..." he sighed, his eyes dropping to his feet where he scuffed at the dirt of the driveway, "I haven't forgiven myself yet. Just one more reason to...get some space. M'sorry, I really am."

And with that, he was walking away again and Carol felt her heart breaking with every step he took.


	48. Progress

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Carol and Daryl take a step towards recovery and forgiveness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tip Your Waitress: ko-fi.com/panjamysy  
> Tumblr: solar-pxwered.tumblr.com

It had been nearly five days since Carol had last spoken to Daryl and it was tearing her apart inside. He never came up to the house unless he needed to speak to Rick, he ate whatever he caught that day in the woods at his campsite so he never even came up to the house to eat. However, Carol realized that Sophia and he were still as thick as thieves, she'd seen them in the yard the other day waxing their bowstrings and talking like nothing at all was wrong.

But the worst sting of all was that Daryl had taken to visiting the barn daily to see Merle and he stayed in there for hours at a time. When he came out, he never looked exceptionally happy, but he never looked at Merle the way he'd looked at her that night he'd kicked her out of the tent.

It was taking a toll on her, physically and emotionally, she noticed. She didn't feel like eating at all, she felt tired and helpless, she threw up at least once a day if she thought about him too much, she couldn't think straight and people were beginning to worry about her. Lori and Maggie were still muttering about Daryl around her, doubtlessly trying to make her feel better by tearing him down and telling her it wasn't her fault that he was treating her this way...but it only made her feel worse and she had finally told them to stop talking about him the way they were.

"Please, Lori," she'd sighed heavily that day when they were dusting the living room, "Please don't talk about him that way."

"Carol, the man's a complete asshole!" Lori demanded, "He has no right to treat you this way. How can you still stick up for him like this after everything he's done!?"

Carol hung her head and rubbed her eyes with her knuckles.

"Because I love him, Lori," she whispered, thinking back to what he'd said to her at the campsite. _You can't just love me when it's easy, and I've seen that you can't handle it when it's hard. "_ And I've already forgiven him for what he did, so please, just stop."

Lori just shook her head and finished wiping down the coffee table before leaving Carol alone in the room with her thoughts. She had to fix this, but she had no idea where to even begin. She saw movement out of the corner of her eye and Sophia came walking in, looking sheepish.

"Hi, Sophia," Carol wiped the tears from her eyes and smiled.

"Mom, can I ask you something?" Sophia asked, shifting her weight from foot to foot.

"Of course, sweetie," Carol took Sophia by the shoulder and they both took a seat on the couch. "What is it?"

"Why are you and dad fighting?" Sophia asked quietly.

Carol felt her throat tighten and she sighed heavily.

"Honey...we both made some very big mistakes the day Merle took you," she admitted, "We said things and did things that really hurt each other and we've been spending some time apart to think about things."

Sophia's eyes widened.

"Did dad hit you?" she asked quietly. "Did he give you that bruise?"

"Sophia," Carol wasn't sure what to say, how could she admit to her daughter that the man she looked up to and admired had hit her? She'd seen enough of that with Ed and she wouldn't understand.

"He must have been scared, mom," Sophia touched Carol's arm gently, her eyes looked so sad, "He was scared that he lost me."

"He was honey, and I made everything so much worse because of the horrible things I said to him," Carol agreed, "But neither of us were right and he should never have hit me, just like I never should have said those things to him."

"I know mom," Sophia soothed, "But we all make mistakes, right? Aren't you both going to give each other another chance?"

"It's complicated, honey," Carol replied gently, "We need to take a little time apart for a while."

"Not too long, mom," Sophia demanded softly, "Like you said to Mrs. Lori, you love him. And I don't want to lose my daddy again."

Carol watched her daughter leave the room, wise beyond her years. Why couldn't it just be that simple?

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Sometimes all it takes is the smallest thing to get your foot in the door of something big. Carol had no idea walking out the front door would be the turning point in her recent agony, but that's just how it worked.

Seeing that there was no water for the soup she was making, Carol made her way towards the door with the intention of walking to the well and pumping some up. But as she reached for the door knob, the door swung inward quickly and forcefully, colliding very painfully with her nose. She clutched her face and watched in silent horror as blood began dripping through her fingers to the floor.

"Oh, shit!" Oh boy, this just got better and better...that was Daryl's voice. But Carol felt his hands clutch her shoulders and push her urgently back to the kitchen where he gently sat her down and knelt in front of her. He removed her hands from her face to get a look at the level of damage that door had caused.

"Ah, damn, Carol," he groaned and stood up, moving quickly to the sink to grab a towel. He returned and knelt down again and very carefully pressed the towel to her nose to staunch the heavy flow of blood. "God, Carol, I am so sorry, I didn't know ya were there!"

"It's ok," Carol whispered, wincing at the pain the pressure from the towel caused. Oh geez, her nose was broken, she just knew it!

By that time, Andrea had walked in and was looking at them in shock.

"Daryl, did you...?!"

"NO!" Daryl snapped angrily, "I didn't hit her! I opened the door a little hard as she was coming out."

"I wasn't asking if you hit her, Daryl," Andrea's voice was calming and she laid a hand on his shoulder, in a silent motion of reassurance. Carol couldn't help the flare in her chest at that harmless, friendly touch, but it was there anyway. "I'll go get some water to clean this up."

Carol's eyes followed Andrea out of the room and then they dropped down to the floor.

"Has it stopped yet?" she asked quietly.

Daryl removed the towel and shook his head before placing it back on, making her cringe back from the pain of the pressure.

"Geez, Carol, I really hope I didn't break your nose," he muttered.

Carol wanted to stop the words that came out then, her mind was screaming at her to stop even as they slipped off her tongue.

"You already broke my heart, my nose is no big deal."

Daryl met her eyes then and she found herself captured in the pull of those cobalt irises, unable to look away. Finally, he looked down at the floor as Andrea stepped back into the kitchen with the bucket of well water. She poured some in a bowl and got a clean rag and handed it to Daryl who took it with a thankful nod. He removed the dry and very bloody towel to see if the bleeding had stopped and he set it aside, so Carol assumed the blood was no longer flowing because he squeezed out the water from the clean rag and raised the damp material to her face. He gently began wiping the trail of blood down her top lip away, his face twitching the whole time, like he wanted to speak but was holding it back.

Finally, he let the rag drop into the now red water in the bowl, but Carol was surprised when his right hand came back up and rested on her cheek.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, his eyes began to shimmer with unshed tears and Carol felt her heart squeeze uncomfortably. "I'm so sorry."

And that was all he said before he stood quickly and headed out of the kitchen and out the front door. Carol stood and walked to the foyer window where she peeked through the boards that covered it, watching as he walked off towards the barn, he raised his arm and wiped his eyes with his sleeve.

_I'm sorry. I'm so sorry._

It may have been all he said, but it was enough for Carol...and it was the foothold in the sheer wall that had sprung up between them that she'd been searching for.

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Merle and Daryl both showed their faces in the house that night for dinner. Carol felt anger rise up in her at the looks people were giving the brothers, not that she cared about Merle at all but they had no right to look at Daryl that way. The air was thick with tension, so thick you could almost taste it, and everyone was just...standing there and staring.

Carol saw that look in Daryl's eyes, that look he always got just before he bolted, and she knew someone had to do something quickly before this attempt at integration, which she knew had been Daryl's doing, was ruined. She stepped forward and laid a hand on Daryl's arm, smiling at both of them.

"Well, looks like we've got company!" she said cheerfully, "Rick, what say we make some room at these table for our Dixons?"

As if a spell was broken, everyone began to move things around and make spots at the table available, Patricia jumped up and got two more plates, bowls, cups and silverware out of the cupboards to set out, friendly shatter started back up again and the tension faded till it was almost unnoticeable.

Carol took her seat and gulped lightly when Daryl sat down straight across from her, his eyes were unreadable, but he gave her a nod as he scooted his chair forward. Merle sat gingerly and unsure between Patricia and Rick, looking highly uncomfortable.

Dinner was quiet and didn't last very long. As soon as it seemed like it would be acceptable, the Dixon brothers stood and Daryl excused them before they headed for the front door. Carol stood on instinct, about to follow and then hesitated before sitting back down slowly, a move that did not go unnoticed by the group...or by Daryl. She saw him glance over his shoulder before he and Merle walked out and she quickly looked down at her empty plate in embarrassment.

"Hmph, imagine having the nerve to show his face in this house after what he did," Maggie said with distaste. That was the final straw for Carol's already worn nerves, and she slammed her fork down next to her plate angrily, causing everyone to look at her in surprise.

"ENOUGH!" she hollered loudly, pushing her chair back and standing to her feet, "I've had enough of your judgment! Daryl may not be perfect but he's trying, he's really trying hard to fit in with this group and make a place for himself! He made a mistake, but we all do and I'm tired of all of you acting like you're better than he is because you're not and I'm not going to sit here while you tear my _goddamn husband_ down anymore!"

The entire room was silent when she finished her tirade and Sophia was smiling up at her from the smaller table and Andrea was smiling as well...but everyone else wasn't even looking at her, their eyes were locked on the doorway. Carol closed her eyes for a moment, knowing the truth before she even turned around and sure enough, Daryl was standing in the doorway looking completely and utterly shocked. He'd heard everything.

Carol wanted to melt into the floor or disappear or just...bolt. Since she couldn't do either of her first choices, she did what she could. She bolted. Right past Daryl and out the front door where she nearly collided with Merle on the porch, she looked at him with wide, fear filled eyes but she just edged around him and continued running until she reached the RV and slipped inside, locking the door behind her.

Once inside, she realized she was hyperventilating and she focused on getting her breathing slowed down. She stumbled through the vehicle to the back where she fell on the bed and began sobbing uncontrollably, all the previous few days' emotions and stress just pouring out of her finally after being held in for so long. It felt so good to finally let it out.

She felt the RV move and she heard the door open and close softly and she wondered vaguely how who it was had unlocked the door. The footfalls got closer and closer and she recognized them immediately, the careful, light movement. Daryl.

He didn't say a word, just crawled into the bed and laid down behind her, wrapping his arms hesitantly around her, waiting to see how she would react, and then pulled her in tighter as he moved closer. The silence seemed heavy at first to Carol, but when the tears finally stopped flowing she realized how calm and easy it was to just lay there and soak up his warmth, that familiar warmth she missed so much. But she felt the need to say something, anything, to explain herself.

"You weren't suppose to hear that," she whispered softly.

"Figured," Daryl murmured, his breath tickled her ear and she closed her eyes to stop the rush of desire that flowed over her.

"Why are you here?" Carol felt a little angry at him for this, how could he be laying here with her like this if he was done with them? "I thought you needed space."

Daryl remained silent, his breathing steady and quiet on her hair. Finally, he shifted his weight and sighed lightly.

"I do," he said softly, "But I told ya I haven't given up on us yet. I'm not gonna go hide in a tent while ya lay here bawlin' yer eyes out."

Carol wanted to laugh. but it came out more as a strangled sobbing sound and she felt his arms tighten around her. She was overwhelmed with the desire that always flared up in her when he held her like this and she went to turn over and face him, but he held her firmly down.

"Don't, Carol," he said sternly, all the softness was gone from his voice. "Don't try t' make this what it ain't."

The reprimand made Carol's crying start up again, not quite as hard but still enough to make fat tears roll down her cheeks. He wasn't ready to let her back in just yet.

But it was a start.


	49. Trust

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Merle earns his way back into the group with one simple action.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tip Your Waitress: ko-fi.com/panjamysy  
> Tumblr: solar-pxwered.tumblr.com

The sound of the rooster's crowing from the chicken coop actually woke Carol up before the sun was even risen, she had always heard of roosters crowing and waking people up but she'd never actually had it happen before. She blinked rapidly in the semi darkness and wondered for a moment where she was until she remembered she was in the RV. That was when she remembered that Daryl was with her and she could feel the warmth of his body pressed up against her from behind, the familiar comforting presence that she realized now just how much she'd missed this past week.

She did her best to stay still and savor the moment, knowing that the second he woke up he would be out the door and off to the woods to hunt and escape the situation he was currently in...she knew he wasn't ready to take her back yet. She had a lot to prove.

Oh, but she wanted to look at him, just to take him in while he lay there in peace and silence with no frown lines or furrowed brow or disapproving, hurt look in his beautiful blue eyes...she wanted to see a glimpse of the happiness she'd been able to give him not so long ago. So she found herself rolling over to face him despite her desire to make the moment last.

She managed to get onto her other side without waking him and she laid her head back down on the pillow, only inches from him. She scanned every inch of his face and her eyes came to rest on his dark eyelashes which twitched now and then as he dreamed, his lips were drawn into a tiny, almost unnoticeable smile so she assumed it was a good dream, she touched her nose to his and snuggled closer to his chest. Unfortunately, that woke him and she tried her best to fake being asleep as she felt his breathing pattern change and his heartbeat pick up a bit. She expected him to roll away and bolt, but she felt a thrill in her chest when she felt the calloused surface of his hand push the hair back from her eyes and then trail gently down her face in a familiar, loving way.

"Carol, quit your fakin', I know damn well you're awake," she heard him mumble in his sleepy morning voice. She let her eyes open and admit defeat, the first thing she saw was the blue of his eyes as he stared directly back at her.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

"What about now?" he asked, clearly annoyed. "Ya apologize a whole lot, woman."

"I'm always messing something up," Carol sighed, "So I have a lot to apologize for."

Daryl stared at her quietly for a moment more before he sighed and rolled off the bed, standing and slinging his crossbow on his shoulder. Without another word, he turned and walked out of the RV into the darkness of the early morning and headed for his tent across the field, leaving Carol alone once again.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Carol KNEW she was making progress after a few days. She'd talked over her explosion to all involved and, even though they made it clear to her that Maggie had been referring to Merle, she had clearly laid down the law that she would not put up with the group treating Daryl with any less respect for the last week or so. She'd seen the improvement immediately in how people treated him when he came around, even Lori had a ready smile for him and his shoulders seemed to be drooping less lately.

Carol had begun to take Daryl and Merle their meals in the barn and she always made sure Daryl's plate had more and better things on it, not out of distaste for Merle, although she wasn't exactly fond of the older Dixon after what he'd done, but because she was trying to make a point to Daryl: I still care about you and you mean more to me than anyone else.

She had gone to the orchard and picked a basket of apples with Beth and Maggie and had Lori help her make them into a cider. She'd heated it and poured two thermoses full and took them to the barn, earning delighted looks and hearty thanks from both Dixons. If she wasn't mistaken, she'd even received a small smile from Merle. Daryl had flat out grinned at her when she handed him his...a very good sign.

However, not everyone in the group was getting along so swimmingly. Shane and Rick were constantly in some sort of argument and everyone could see that Shane was becoming slightly unstable...or at least Carol could see it, and she figured it was obvious. Also, Merle had begun to venture out of the barn more often and had started to offer help where he could, trying to begin the difficult process of integrating into the group he'd abandoned and pushed away so long ago. But people didn't seem very eager to accept him, especially Andrea, Shane and Lori. Today, Rick had taken a step in what Carol certainly hoped was the right direction and handed over the axe he had been chopping wood with when Merle offered to help with a tight, forced smile. Carol was walking by an hour later and saw Merle was still hard at it, chopping wood with his left arm since his right was useless in this chore, he was covered in sweat but he didn't look tired at all.

"Merle, would you like some water?" she asked quietly, feeling the need to forgive, forget and move on. This would be a good start. Merle stopped chopping and looked over in surprise, it was the first time she'd spoken to him since they'd met up with him on the road.

"I...sure," he muttered in reply. Carol walked over and handed him the glass of water she's intended on taking to Andrea where she was posted on the RV for watch duty and he nodded his thanks before chugging it down. "Thanks."

"You're welcome," Carol replied simply, turning to go get a new glass for Andrea. She felt a hand on her arm and she flinched, wondering what he was going to do. Should she scream?

"Hey, lady," he said, his voice full of that Dixon gruffness she'd long become accustomed to. She turned to face him and saw he was sporting a look on his face she'd almost call...regret? "I just wanted t' say...'m sorry 'bout what I did, takin' yer daughter and all."

"You should have just come to us, Merle," Carol replied sternly, "Daryl and I could have talked to the group for you."

"I never meant for it t' happen," Merle sighed, "They were suppose t' take Daryl, not yer kid."

"What!?" Carol gasped.

"Figured the group would want their hunter back bad enough to lend me an ear for a minute," Merle shrugged, "When those idiots came back with some screaming blonde kid I had no idea what the fuck'd happened. She told me everything."

"Then you know she's his daughter too?" Carol asked carefully, "And that he and I...?"

"Yeah, lady, I figured that much out by how damn protective he is of ya," Merle rolled his eyes, "He's constantly watchin' ya. Hell, he's probably watchin' right now and he's gonna pull ya aside and want to know what I said t' ya."

Carol actually had to laugh at that because she knew it was true.

"What should I tell him?" she asked playfully.

"Hopefully that I was apologizin' for bein' an ass," Merle stated truthfully.

Carol nodded and even managed to pat him on the shoulder. 

"I forgive you," she said softly, "But you better not hurt this group ever again or I'll kill you myself."

Merle grinned.

"I can see why you ended up with m' brother," he laughed, "You don't take no shit, do ya?"

"Not anymore," Carol said with a wink. She turned back around and went into the house to get the water for Andrea.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sure enough, as soon as Carol had stepped off the RV after she'd given Andrea the glass, Daryl snatched her arm and pulled her off to the chicken coop. He was livid, she could tell.

"What did he say to you?" he growled, low in his throat.

Carol sighed and crossed her arms.

"Don't you trust him?" she asked.

"Damn it, woman, don't answer my question with another question," Daryl snapped. "No, I DON'T trust him! Do you _expect_ me to after what he did?"

"If you really want to know what he said to me," Carol said soothingly, "He was apologizing for what happened."

That silenced the furious redneck. He stared at her blankly for several minutes until she started to feel a bit uncomfortable and she started to inch away from the wall of the chicken house but Daryl's arm shot out, his hand settled on the wall beside her with a _smack_ sound, and successfully blocked her escape.

"He's up t' somethin' then," Daryl claimed, "Merle don't apologize for nothin'."

"Neither did you once," Carol reminded him quietly, resting her hand on his arm and giving it a squeeze. He looked up at her from where his eyes has dropped to the wood of the chicken coop beside her and he gave her that thoughtful squinty look he had.

"You seriously think he's changed?" he asked quietly, but not sounding at all convinced. "Just...please watch yer back? I can't always be here t' watch out for ya."

"Daryl..." Carol whispered and brought her hand to his face, running her thumb along the stubble along his jawline. "Don't worry so much, it's not good for you."

Daryl's hand caught her wrist tightly and he looked at her sternly for a long moment before he turned his head slightly and pressed a kiss to the sensitive area just below her palm.

"Losin' ya wouldn't be good for me either," he whispered, "So just don't let yer guard down."

Carol stood in silent shock, he'd kissed her...not at all the type of kissing she was craving from him, but a kiss all the same.

"Do you forgive me?" she whispered back, hoping her efforts had finally achieved their goal and won back his affection. "Do you love me again?"

"Woman, I ain't never stopped," Daryl said calmly, "And I told ya I forgive ya...but I still don't know if I can trust ya yet."

Carol nodded silently and he was walking away before she could even get another word out. She watched him go with misty eyes and then slid down the side of the chicken coop to bury her head in her hands once again from the stress of it all. She was full of pent up sexual desire and desire to prove that she would never let him down again...but she had no idea how to earn his trust back.

"Did he hurt ya?" a gruff voice split the silence and Carol jumped in surprise and found Merle looking down at her. She felt a chill run down her spine when she realized there was no one around and she was alone with Merle.

"No," she stood quickly, brushing herself off, "Why the hell does everyone think he's always going to hurt me!?"

"Don't think I didn't see your face that day ya'll met me on the road," Merle crossed his arms and cocked an eyebrow at her.

"God! Is he ever going to be able to live that down?!" Carol threw up her hands in exasperation.

Merle chuckled.

"But from the looks of it, it sure didn't spook ya off," he mused thoughtfully, "You really got it bad for my little brother, don'tcha?"

Carol sighed heavily and nodded, after all it was no lie.

"I love him," she whispered, "But I said some terrible things and I cut him to the bone...he's not ready to trust me again. Not yet."

"He'll come around," Merle shrugged, "He's a fuckin' Dixon, we've got the stubbornness of mules and then some."

Carol couldn't help herself, she found a smile twitching on her lips and she actually offered it to the man who'd kidnapped her daughter.

"How much longer is it going to take?" she asked with a sigh.

"As long as he wants," Merle replied easily, "Daryl sure can brood over shit for a long time."

"That's what I figured," Carol groaned, but then she decided to change the subject. "Merle, are you really honest about changing your ways and fitting in with this group?"

Carol saw something slash in the older Dixon's eyes and he stayed silent for some time before he finally nodded.

"I can already tell it ain't gonna be easy," he muttered, "Not that I blame any of 'em."

"Daryl earned their trust...you will too," Carol reassured him, "It just takes time."

Merle nodded and she could tell he was chewing his bottom lip inside, just like Daryl did sometimes. Man, they were more alike than she remembered...and yet as different as day and night.

"Dixons don't let a little oppositions stop us," Carol stated simply, remembering something Daryl had said a while back when Sophia had a really bad day at the archery range.

"Us?" Merle asked with a grin. Carol blushed when she realized she'd included herself under their family name.

"Sorry," she whispered.

"Hey, you's as much a Dixon as any of us," Merle laughed, "It takes some kinda guts to marry my worthless little brother."

"Stop it!" Carol hissed, anger flared up in her chest and she faced him, her fists clenched. "Do you know how much he believes everything you say about him!? You have no idea how much it took for me to get him to think he was actually WORTH something. DO NOT screw up my hard work, Merle Dixon!"

Merle actually took a small step back and had the presence of mind to look a bit sorry.

"I know," he grumbled, "Old habits are just kinda hard t' break. I don't really think that about him, ya know?"

"Well don't tell ME about it," Carol sniffed angrily, "He's the one you've got convinced otherwise."

And with that, Carol walked off in a fury towards the house to start dinner.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Carol eyed the delicious looking spread on the table with an approving nod. Venison, fresh from the cow milk, homemade bread and fresh churned butter, carrots with their leafy tops still attached and cooked right up with them and garlic potatoes. She'd maybe gone a little overboard on the small stash of spices left...but why not have a decent meal now and then, spices and all?

She was proud of her hard work, the bread had taken a long time, she'd even milked the dang cow by herself! Everything on the table was made with love and care and she couldn't wait for everyone to enjoy it. Cooking was the least she could do.

One by one, people began to pile into the dining room, praising her cooking skills and sitting down with hungry looks. Daryl's eyes, however, were on her and she saw the smile in them and she knew it was his silent conveying of his appreciation of her culinary skills. The man ate anything, like a damn goat, and she knew he always appreciated when she was able to pull deliciousness out of simple things.

But the homey atmosphere was cut short when Lori's voice rose over the murmur of conversation.

"Where's Rick and Shane?"

Everyone stopped chattering and looked around as if they had possibly missed them in the crowd, but the pair was nowhere to be seen.

"Probably just got in the middle of something," Herschel commented, "Shane said something about doing a sweep of the outer fields, I think they took the truck."

Glenn went to the window and announced that the truck was still parked by the tree and Lori sat there and went pale.

"I have a terrible feeling," she whispered, so quiet that only Carol and Daryl, who had stood to look out the kitchen window in the direction of the northern outer field. He turned around and looked at Lori carefully then he sniffed and headed for the door, grabbing his crossbow from against the wall. Carol followed him out the front door.

"Where are you going?" she asked, her voice sounded slightly panicked.

"Goin' out t' find them," he replied grimly, walking determinedly in the direction of the field he's been looking at earlier. Carol trotted to keep up.

"I'm coming with you," she announced, pulling her hunting knife from the sheath she kept in her boot.

"No, ya ain't," Daryl growled, turning on her and glaring, "Get back in the damn house!"

"You can't tell me what to do, Daryl," Carol replied quietly, yet sternly, "I'm coming with you whether you like it or not."

Daryl growled angrily but he turned and started walking again, faster and much more fiercely than before.

"Why are we going this way?" Carol asked quietly.

"Saw Merle heading this way just before I came in," Daryl replied gruffly, "And when Lori said she had a bad feeling...well, it ain't wise to ignore a woman's intuition."

"You think Merle's going to jump them?" Carol asked, horrified.

"I don't know," Daryl replied, honestly, "But he didn't look like he was fixin' to make friends."

"Why didn't you stop him?"

"I ain't my brother's keeper."

Carol shook her head at that statement. The first guy to ever say that hadn't had the best of luck in life...

"Now, hush," Daryl hissed suddenly and dropped to a crouch. Carol followed his lead and she was shocked at how far they'd walked in such a short time, when Daryl Dixon wanted to get somewhere, he got there with time to spare apparently. They walked silently until Carol heard voices...raised, threatening tones reached her ears and she felt her heart clench. Rick. Shane.

"I'm a better father than you, Rick!"

Carol recognized Shane's voice and Daryl motioned for her to move forward very carefully and Carol was shocked when the field came into view and she saw the two figures. Daryl immediately dropped to the ground on his stomach and army crawled into the bushes, she followed him in the same manner and they watched in silence as the scene unfolded.

Shane had his gun on Rick, who's hands were raised and Carol felt her throat tighten in fear. So Shane had finally flipped, after all his unstable moments he'd finally gone bat shit crazy.

"You're gonna have to kill an unarmed man," Rick stated, his voice thick with emotion. Carol felt like she was going to be sick.

"Daryl," she whispered, "Do something!"

Daryl glared at her, a look that clearly told her to shut up, and she fell silent. He knew what he was doing, she trusted. She gave him a nod and went completely still.

Rick was holding his gun out to Shane and approaching carefully, slowly, whispering words of assurance like you would when you were trying not to spook a horse, but Shane kept his pistol trained on Rick's head, his breathing was loud, ragged, stressed. Carol waited for Daryl to act, but he remained in the shadows, his eyes looking off to his left, towards the woods.

Suddenly, a shot rang out and Carol shoved her fist in her mouth to stifle the scream that almost jumped out, her eyes jumped back to Rick and Shane and she let out a relieved sigh when she saw Rick standing there, eyes wide, but Shane was crumpled on the ground not moving. Rick fell to his knees the same moment Daryl jumped to his feet and dragged her out of the bushes.

"Rick!" he shouted as they ran to where Rick had fallen to his knees next to Shane's motionless body. "Rick are you alright?"

Rick looked up and Carol thought she'd never seen a man look more haunted in all her born days. His blue eyes were spilling over with tears and he didn't say a word, just laid his forehead on Shane's shoulder and began sobbing loudly, anguished and painful wailing filled the air and Carol could only stare in shock and disbelief as a knife fell out of Rick's hand to the ground. Daryl turned at the sound of footsteps approaching and Carol saw Merle walking out of the woods, a rifle at his side. Daryl nodded and Merle nodded back, a silent understanding passed between the brothers that Carol suddenly caught on to.

"What are you doin' out here, little brother?" Merle asked, his voice sounded bitter.

"Same thing you are, Merle," Daryl said simply.

"You killed him," Carol whispered in disbelief. "You shot Shane."

Merle nodded grimly.

"The man was off his rocker," he muttered, "Didn't think it was worth the risk of letting Rick do what he was gonna do. Not when I had a clear shot."

And that was when Carol realized that the knife in Rick's hand was seconds away from being embedded in Shane, his best friend and partner...Rick KNEW what Shane had brought him out here for and he'd been prepared to deal with it. Merle had just saved him from having to gut his best friend.

"You knew I was comin' here then?" Merle asked Daryl, looking surprised, "And you let me go?"

"I didn't know," Daryl mumbled, "I suspected, but then it all just fell into place. Only..to be honest, I figured you and Shane were in this together."

"Thought I was his failsafe?" Merle asked grimly. Daryl nodded and hung his head.

"Merle..." Carol whispered, "You...you just saved Rick's life."

Merle shrugged.

"Do you trust me now?" he asked, his eyes glinting in the moonlight.

Rick stood up at that moment and the conversation was lost. Carol ran to his side and helped him steady himself on his feet. He looked at her with a sad, broken look.

"Merle?" he asked in a whisper. Carol nodded.

"Yes, Rick," she replied, "He knew Shane was up to no good and he followed you out here to keep an eye on things. He...he shot Shane."

Rick gave Merle a nod. Just a simple nod of thanks, and it was enough for Carol to see that something strong had just been established between them. An amount of trust and respect that had taken Daryl months to earn...Merle had just proven himself.


	50. Reunited

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Daryl and Carol finally make up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tip Your Waitress: ko-fi.com/panjamysy  
> Tumblr: solar-pxwered.tumblr.com

It was bordering on the three week mark...three weeks since Carol's world had taken a sharp and shattering turn. Two more days and it would be exactly three weeks since her falling out with Daryl. The night Shane had died, nearly a week ago, had been the last time they'd actually been alone together and Carol felt she'd lost a lot of the small progress she'd made in repairing them. Daryl never made an effort to speak to her since then and his glances had become fewer and farther between...not to mention Beth was starting to get a little on the overly friendly side with him.

It was infuriating, watching it all unfold and not having a good enough relationship to walk up and claim him as her own. Beth flirted shamelessly, and lately she'd even taken to laughing and touching him on the arm...but the worst thing about it all was that Daryl actually put up with it and allowed her to follow him around the farm while he worked, and sometimes he even smiled and laughed with her. It made Carol want to throw punches and then mark her territory with a rough round of mind-numbing sex. But that was out of the question.

It was a Monday. Mondays were already the bane of human existence BEFORE the outbreak, and now Carol found that Mondays marked the most painful moment of her life. Sophia had been lost on a Monday, her and Daryl's fight had been on a Monday, and now this. It all started when Daryl walked into the kitchen and tossed a pile of skinned and gutted squirrels on the counter she'd just cleaned.

"Daryl, I JUST wiped that counter down," she sighed heavily, annoyed and sorry their first words in a long time had to be an argument.

"Well, forgive me for wantin' t' feed ya'll," he bristled, she saw the way his shoulders visibly tensed. And at that moment, Beth decided to show her pretty little innocent face.

"He's right, Carol," she said gently, "He's only trying to keep us all fed."

And the cherry on top was when those soft little white hands of hers reached boldly up to Daryl's tensed shoulders and begin a rhythmic squeezing motion, causing Daryl's eyes to drop shut without even thinking about it. Carol threw her dish towel down and stormed out, feeling bile rising in her throat and the desire to punch the pretty right off of Beth's face. Getting out of there was the only option.

"Whoa there," the voice of Andrea met her ear a moment after she collided with her in the doorway and Carol made to go around her but found herself gripped by the arm and Andrea was staring at her. "Oh, wow, Carol what's wrong? You look utterly pissed off."

"I just...really don't want to talk about it, Andrea," Carol sighed, "If you want to know what's going on, just go take a peek in that damn kitchen!"

With that, she walked out of the house and headed for the barn, feeling a mad desire to talk to Merle...why, she had no idea. Maybe it was because, of everyone on this farm, he understood Daryl the most besides her, but right now her knowledge seemed insufficient.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Daryl successfully extracted his shoulders from Beth's grip with a twist and he was about to go after Carol when Andrea came around the corner and pushed him back into the kitchen.

"Daryl, don't do it," she warned, "Give her some space or you're liable to get a black eye or something. Beth, can you find Lori for me?"

Beth gave Daryl one last look, spilling over with sweetness, before she nodded and made her way to the old campsite by the RV. Andrea and Daryl watched her go before Andrea turned back to him and placed her hands on her hips.

"What's up with Beth?" she asked.

"I have no idea," Daryl groaned, "She's followin' me around like a puppy."

"Yeah, I've noticed...and so has Carol," Andrea tried to make her point clear.

"I know," was Daryl's simple reply and Andrea squinted at him suspiciously. "To be honest...I've kind of been using it to get her wound up."

Andrea gaped at him.

"Daryl, that's cruel," she said disapprovingly. "Carol's been walking around in a constant mope because of what happened between you. Don't you think it's about time to let go of your pride and take her back?"

"Don't ya think it's time ya mind yer own business?" Daryl drawled, not trying to be mean but just matter-of-fact.

"Not when the happiness of two of my good friends is at stake," Andrea retorted easily. "And don't you even try to lie and tell me you're fine, I know you're not. You miss her and you KNOW she misses you. I know you're trying to prove some kind of point to her and make her prove herself...now, I don't know what all happened between you, but I can tell it was pretty hurtful on both sides."

Daryl sniffed at her long-winded reasoning, but she wasn't done yet.

"But, whatever was said or done...is it really worth what you two are doing to yourselves? You two love each other, we can all tell, and I really would hate to see you both mess this up beyond repair. Playing this jealousy card is NOT going to work in your favor, Daryl, it's only going to hurt Carol more."

Daryl sighed and nodded slowly, his head hanging slightly, he looked up at her from under his lashes and he gave her a sad little smile.

"I don't know how t' fix this, Andrea," he admitted, "I don't know if we can ever be the way we were after what we said and did."

"All you can do is try, right?" Andrea reasoned.

"I'm not sure I'm ready," Daryl mumbled quietly.

"Just...don't let the opportunity to try when it happens, ok?" Andrea said kindly, giving his forearm a squeeze.

Daryl nodded and sighed, then he made his way out of the house and headed for the woods to clear his head with a good, long hunt.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Carol discovered that Merle really didn't have any better idea how to get Daryl in a good mood than she already had. So she took his and her own advice and got down to business making the best dinner she'd ever concocted in her born days, because her and Merle had both come to the conclusion that Daryl Dixon was happiest with a full belly.

She had refused any help with anything, she wanted this to be made by her hands only, and she was gonna let him know it too. She was going to charm the pants off him...hopefully literally, and win him back from that little blonde girl who he seemed to have taken a shine to. Beth may be young and pretty, but she couldn't do anything worthwhile and Daryl was a practical man, he appreciated a girl with skills. Hopefully.

When dinner was ready, Carol eyed it all with pride. A whole stuffed turkey she'd convinced Herschel to let her butcher that morning from the flock, potatoes slathered in hot butter and red pepper flakes, green beans Maggie had brought up from the root cellar, and the best of all...a still piping hot pumpkin pie setting on the counter to cool, the scent of it flooded the house and dream curious onlookers.

"Oh my gosh!" Carl bounced around the kitchen in excitement. "I can't wait for dinner! I LOVE pie!"

Carol laughed at the boy's antics and smiled when she saw how he was eyeing that pie with a grin. Carol opened the stove and pulled out the second pie and set it out to cool with the other. Carl looked like he might pass out.

"You'll have to wait, Carl," she laughed, pushing him towards the kitchen door to keep him from the temptation of the pies. "Don't want to spoil your appetite. Go round everyone up, huh?"

Carl nodded excitedly and flew upstairs to get Lori and Patricia, then he was out the front door in record time to retrieve the others.

Soon enough, everyone was gathered in the house and the excited chatter made Carol blush because mainly it consisted of praise for her cooking. One problem though...Daryl wasn't there.

"Merle, where's he at?" she squeaked nervously.

"Don't rightly know," Merle admitted. "I ain't my brother's keeper."

That phrase was pretty popular in the Dixon household apparently. Carol was about to say something in reply when Daryl strode in the front door looking highly annoyed and covered in mud.

"Herschel, your damn herd of cows broke through the fence!" he snapped, "I tried to round them up but I can't get 'em all so ya'll better get your asses out here and help unless you wanna lose 'em all."

Immediately, everyone stood and the majority of them headed out the door towards the fields, even Carl and Beth ran to help. Only Lori and Carol stood in the kitchen after the metaphorical dust cloud had settled and Carol felt her throat squeezing uncomfortably as the silence met her ears. Lori sighed heavily and took her plate, filled it, and then headed back upstairs with her hand on her belly, leaving Carol standing alone in the kitchen with the food getting cold.

Something about this whole situation just proved to be too much for her and she sat down on a chair and started crying. Daryl was already in a terrible mood, wet and muddy from his cow chasing and now the food was going to be cold and have to be reheated and nothing she ever planned worked out...she just wanted one night of quiet peace to make him remember what their marriage used to be.

"Carol?" a soft voice interrupted her thoughts and she jerked her head up. Daryl was standing in the doorway of the kitchen, mud dripping off the legs of his jeans and rain dripping from his hair, his eyes seemed exceptionally blue under the wet, dark hair hanging in his eyes as he stared at her in surprise. She tried to say something to him but all she managed was a quivering lip before she started to cry again and she covered her face with her hands. She heard the steady clumping sounds of his boots as he crossed the wood floor and she felt him squat down beside her knees, his hand rested on her elbow which caused her to look up at him once again. He was staring at her with a soft, concerned expression.

"Are you ok?" he asked gently, his voice void of all the anger she'd heard moments ago when he came in with his announcement.

"Aren't you suppose to be catching cows?" Carol asked bitterly. Daryl closed his eyes for a moment like he was fighting some sort of mental battle and then he sighed.

"They told me they'd handle it, said I needed to get in here and dry off," he replied, "Don't change the subject. What are ya cryin' for?"

He asked for it...he was going to get it. Carol stood quickly and waved her arm over the table full of food, then turned to face him with tears streaming down her face.

"I just wanted everything to be perfect tonight," she sobbed, "I wanted to make a wonderful dinner and start a fire in the fireplace and maybe put some music on the record player and just relax and have one night, just ONE night, of peace and quiet and relaxation! I wanted to make everything perfect for you and try to make you see how we all use to be, how happy we were and now...now it's just..."

She blinked away her tears and let her arms drop limply at her sides, her breathing uneven and ragged as she tried to calm down. Then she was suddenly enveloped in warmth and she realized she was being held, tightly, clutched firmly against Daryl's soaked shirt. His hand threaded into her hair and he laid her cheek against his chest.

"Carol," he whispered softly, "I'm so fuckin' tired of this. I'm done tryin' t' pretend I don't want ya back. I want t' be with ya again, like we were. I'm sorry for puttin' ya through all this shit."

His drawl, she noticed, was heavier than ever, like it got when he was upset or searching for the right words. When Daryl had any kind of emotions, his drawl got thicker and thicker and Carol loved the sound of it rumbling through his chest under her ear, the words he was saying though were what really made it so much more amazing.

"Give me another chance?" he whispered, so low she almost didn't hear. "And I'll give you one too."

Carol nodded into his chest, not even a moment's hesitation flicked over her mind. She knew there was nothing in this world she wanted more than this chance.

"Yes," she whispered back. Then she pulled away from the comforting familiarity of his embrace and pushed him towards the stairs. "Come on."

"Where we goin?" Daryl asked nervously.

"You're getting cleaned up and dried out," Carol announced, "You look like a poor mongrel dog who got caught in the rain."

"That's just about accurate," Daryl laughed. Carol smiled, come to think of it he did resemble a sad puppy sometimes. She pushed him in the direction of the bathroom and shut the door behind them, locking it.

"Sit," she ordered, yanking a towel down from the cabinet. He obeyed and sat on the chair in the corner, watching her with a twinkle in his eyes. She laid the towel on the edge of the tub and she, without any hesitation, slid his jacket off his shoulders and down his arms, laying it on the floor next to them, then she lifted the hem of his shirt and tugged it up, smiling when he raised his arms to allow the tattered material to come off, along with his tank top underneath, revealing his upper half to Carol's starving eyes. She stared for a few moments before she knelt down and started unlacing his mud covered boots.

"You know, I'm perfectly capable of doing this," he laughed, "Don't need you getting all muddy too."

"Shush," Carol stated firmly, tugging off his left boot and starting on the laces of the right. They both joined the pile of clothes starting to accumulate on the floor, followed by soaked and muddy socks, and then she reached for his belt buckle and found her wrists caught in his hands. He was looking at her with an unsure look.

"Hey, take it easy," he said quietly, standing up and pulling her up with him. "I'm having a really hard time not thinkin' about jumpin' ya right now."

"You're welcome to if this is where you want to do this," Carol replied simply, "I don't care where."

"We ain't makin' up in no bathroom, Carol," Daryl laughed.

"Then relax," Carol said calmly, "I'll get your clothes washed while you shower."

She reached for the buckle again and this time he allowed it, and she had his jeans undone and off in no time, remembering suddenly how he was always going commando these days. She loved that about him for some reason, it was one more way he told the world he didn't give a fuck what it threw at him.

"You got a starin' problem, woman," Daryl's chuckle brought her back to the present and she raised her eyes almost difficultly, wanting to just step back and stare at every glorious, muddy inch of him like she'd been longing to do for weeks.

"Only when you're around," Carol teased, remembering how easy this was between them. She missed their little playful discussions, the ones that ended in laughter and smiles instead of crying and regret. "I think God spent a little extra time on you, Daryl Dixon."

Daryl laughed out loud at that but Carol thought she may have seen a bit of a blush creep into his cheeks, pale and cold from the exposure to the November rain...at least she assumed it was November.

"Ain't nothing special," he muttered, scuffing the floor with his heel.

"I didn't think so at first either," Carol admitted, thinking back to when she first met him, how angry he was and silent and brooding...not that he had changed much, he was still all those things. But not with her. She saw past it all now, and she had seen beneath the hard exterior to the man inside. "But I know better now. You're the most amazing man I've ever seen in my life."

He got that signature half smile that always made her stomach flip on his face and his eyes softened to a level she knew only she and Sophia would ever see, letting his guard drop completely.

"C'mere, you," he spread his arms wide, an open invitation for her to fill the empty spot between them and Carol immediately ran into his embrace, not leaving a single centimeter of space between them. She didn't care about the fact he was covered in mud and rain and cow manure from chasing the runaway animals, he could be covered in walker guts and squirrel shit and it wouldn't have stopped her. She felt him rest his chin on her head and his chest expanded to its limit before he let it out with a long sigh and she felt that familiar hot twitch against her hip. "You gonna let me get this damn shower over with so we can do this proper?"

Carol backed off immediately.

"Yes!" she yipped, then she covered her mouth, embarrassed by the volume of her statement. She giggled behind her hand and blushed. "Sorry, yes. But only because you need to get warmed up...I like you dirty."

"Well, don't worry, I'll be dirty again before you know it," he chuckled, "Can't seem to stay clean very long in this environment."

Carol laughed and bent over to pick up the pile of mud caked clothing from the floor and backed out of the bathroom...right into Lori.

"Oh! Wow...sorry..." Lori's eyes were wide as she back away and out of the doorway, blushing furiously.

"Lori, you peeper!' Carol giggled, shutting the door quickly.

"I wasn't! I was coming in to get my...ok to be honest, I was listening at the door," Lori hung her head with a grin. "I seriously did NOT mean to actually see anything!"

"Hey, I don't blame you for wanting to look," Carol gave Lori a wink, "Just don't touch."

Both women burst into giggles and Lori offered to help her wash Daryl's clothes and they went down to the washroom to start the task of hand washing them.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"So...what am I suppose to wear?" Daryl asked when Carol came back to the bathroom. He was standing there with a towel around his waist, hair sticking up crazily from the shower.

"I like this arrangement right here," Carol said, tapping her finger on her chin.

"Carol, I ain't walkin' around like this," he grumbled, adjusting the towel tighter around his hips.

"You don't have a choice, Daryl," Carol laughed, "Your clothes are soaked, drying in the living room and there's no way I'm running to your tent to get more."

Daryl bit his lip and nodded, seeing she was right.

"Well, then...I'm staying right here," he stated firmly, sitting in the chair in the corner. He looked so damn stubborn sitting there in that towel that Carol started to laugh.

"Get up, you mule," she tugged on his hand, "Get your tight little ass down to that fireplace before you freeze up here."

"Warm enough," he growled in reply, yanking his arm away.

"Please, Daryl?" Carol changed her tone, getting serious, "I really don't want you getting sick. PLEASE come down with me. No one is gonna care, you know."

He looked at her for a long time, his eyes silently pleading with her to not ask him to do this, but she remained firm. Finally, he sighed and rose from the chair.

"Alright, damn it," he groaned, "It ain't like it matters anymore."

And she realized he wasn't nervous about being half naked...he was worried about people's reaction to the scars covering his torso. To soothe his nerves, she gripped his hand tight, her other hand gripping his bicep, she looked up at him and nodded as they walked out and down the stairs.

"It doesn't matter what they think, Daryl," she whispered as they neared the living room, "Let them stare, who gives a shit? You've got nothing to be ashamed of."

He gave her a weak smile, weak but real, and nodded that he understood and they joined the group of weary, muddy people in the living room.

And, yes, there was a lot of staring...but Carol saw it was mostly appreciative and from the women. Only one pair of male eyes even lingered on him. Merle's. Carol knew that he was seeing those scars in a whole new light, a new point of view, regret spreading over his strong features. Daryl met his eyes and nodded firmly, a silent way of saying he wasn't blaming him and Carol felt a swell of pride in her chest at how far he'd come from being a wounded animal of a man to the strongly convicted, thoughtful man he was now.

They all ate the now cold dinner in the living room and then, one by one, people left to take showers and then to bed and out to take watch and wherever else these people went every night. Carl and Sophia were fast asleep on the couch, Carl's head in Sophia's lap as she leaned against the armrest. Merle was spread eagled on the floor in front of the fireplace, snoring like a chainsaw. Carol knew it was the perfect time to slip away and she stood up, her eyes instantly taking on that long concealed sultry look and she pulled Daryl's hand insistently.

"Come on," she whispered, "I can't wait any longer."

Daryl grinned and stood immediately, following her out of the house with an eager, excited bounce to his steps. He didn't even give a shit that he was barefoot and in a damn towel! As soon as they were out of the door, he yanked Carol by her arm and pulled her into him firmly, his mouth catching hers immediately, tongue searching for entrance without a moment's hesitation. Carol giggled and turned her head away.

"Barn?" she asked, giggling as his mouth latching onto her neck since he'd been denied her lips at the moment.

"Anywhere, girl, anywhere," he mumbled into her skin, the hair on his chin scratching against her neck. She shivered from the feeling and pulled away, pulling his hand again as she made for the barn. She didn't know if she could make it that far because her legs were shaking so much from anticipation and the distance seemed so far suddenly. But she forced herself to keep going, breaking into a trot to make the distance go faster. Finally, they shoved the doors open and stumbled inside.

Carol found herself pinned to the wall the second the door closed behind them and she let out a surprised squeal as Daryl lifted her legs to wrap around his waist and he pushed his pelvis into her firmly, pinning her up and freeing his hands to practically tear her jacket and shirt off in his haste. He unhooked her bra with what seemed like practiced, expert skill and he immediately ducked his head to take her right nipple in his mouth.

"Oh god," Carol gasped at the feel of his teeth nipping her sharply and she bucked against him, trying to get him to back off just a tiny bit so she could wrap her mind around the situation. Three weeks without this? Carol wasn't sure how she'd lived without him! She gripped his hair with both hands, clutching and pulling as his tongue and teeth worked wicked magic on her exposed and goose bumped chest, the cold air rushed over the wet spots he left behind with his mouth and she felt a shiver go down the entire length of her spine, ending in the junction of her legs, causing her to clench even more firmly around his hips.

All at once, Daryl backed away and Carol was terrified for a second she'd done something wrong, but his hands were undoing her pants and they were down to her ankles before she even realized it! She reached out before he knew what was happening and ripped the towel from around his hips, but he didn't even look surprised, he just grinned and pushed her into the wall again, pushing her legs apart to fit his hips between them pushing his stone hard length against her without any sort of ceremonious teasing at all.

"Carol, I don't think I can even try to be gentle with you right now," he warned, braced firmly in case she changed her mind about the whole thing. He looked at her expectantly, waiting on pins and needles for her yes or her no.

Carol smiled at the look on his face, like a puppy who was told to stay while someone balanced a treat on his nose. His eyes were wide and pleading, she felt him twitching hotly against her inner thigh and she laughed.

"Daryl...I like it rough with you," she replied wickedly.

"Mmmmmm," Daryl literally shuddered, like every single muscle in his body had just been relieved of a tremendous amount of tension, and Carol felt his hands tighten on her hips a moment before he completely buried himself deep inside her, sending a jolt through the entirety of her body and causing a sharp gasp to come from her mouth that had dropped open in a silent, surprised scream.

He wasn't kidding either, he began thrusting into her with more force and determination than she'd ever felt before, so hard that he placed the length of his forearms against the wall behind her, cushioning her from the hard wood of the wall and bracing himself at the same time. Carol felt each thrust lift her high enough that her feet went from being flat on the ground to being lifted to her tip toes and she clutched his back firmly, nails digging into his skin as she tried to maintain some tiny ounce of control over the situation.

"Fuck," Daryl barked sharply as Carol's nails dug deep enough to draw blood, but somehow the pain just added to his force and he picked up speed and strength as he pumped into her like a sex starved animal...which is exactly how he felt. It crossed his mind that he might possibly hurt her, but he assumed she would let him know if he was and he ventured a glance at her face to make sure. Her eyes were closed, mouth wide open as she gasped in sharp breaths and let them out quickly, panting like a dog in July Georgia heat...she didn't look like she was hurting at all and he grinned wicked for a moment before a jolt flew through him and caused his eyes to squeeze shut as he fought back the urge to let go right then and there, but damn it he didn't want to be a three pump chump and leave her hanging like ass. He sucked in a long breath and let it out slowly, calming his pace a little.

"Don't stop now!" Carol demanded, digging her nails even deeper into his skin.

"Damn it, stop!" Daryl growled into her neck as he buried his face there, "Just...just hold on for a fuckin' second!"

Carol immediately went still and waited, her breathing still rapid and loud in his ear, breathy and hot on his skin. Carefully, he readjusted his stance and ground his hips into hers as he lifted her up to put her legs around his waist and pushed into her as far as he possibly could, drawing a sharp gasp from her.

"Ouch, ouch, that's...ow," Carol giggled, and he looked at her funny.

"Sorry, shit!" he said with wide eyes, backing up a bit. "Why are you laughing if it hurts?"

"It's not awful, just uncomfortable," Carol explained, still clutching his shoulders tightly. "It's the angle. Bottoming out isn't fun no matter how much people make jokes about it."

So he changed the angle, twisting her to the side slightly, and watched her face as he started again. Seeing nothing that told him this was uncomfortable, he was emboldened and he picked up the pace again, focusing on her face, trying to do it right for her. And finally, he hit that one specific place that made her groan loudly in his ear and he grinned as he focused on manipulating that spot. Soon enough he was rewarded with the sound of her breathing getting faster, and little whimpers slipping out of her lips which soon enough became sharp little cries and guttural moans and last of all a sharp, long and drawn out cry as every muscle in her body tensed and then relaxed, her inner muscles contracting in rhythmic spasms. Daryl closed his eyes and growled into Carol's freckled skin of her chest as he let that tight rhythm push him over the edge with her.

Immediately, as soon as his body quit trembling, he felt every ounce of strength just...leave. Stepping back, he put his palms to the wall and leaned his weight into them as Carol's legs unwrapped from his hips and her feet settled back onto the floor. He sucked in air to his tired and burning lungs, his exhales were shaky and mixed with a few whimpers and he heard Carol's breathing matching his. Then he heard that familiar giggle and he smiled, pushing himself back from the wall and turning to see her picking up her discarded clothes from the barn floor.

"Whew, that...was intense," she laughed, pulling her pants back on with a smile in his direction. She found her bra halfway across the barn and clipped it back on then pulled her shirt over her head. She picked the towel up off the floor and tossed it to him.

"Trying t' cover me up already?" Daryl teased her with a wink.

"Not at all," she winked right back, "If I had it my way, you'd never wear anything. But that's socially unacceptable...plus I love the way your ass looks in those jeans of yours."

Daryl gave her a squinty fake glare as he wrapped the towel back around his waist and leaned back against the wall.

"It's kinda cold out here," he mumbled tiredly.

"I vote RV," Carol said, easily. "T-Dog's taking watch from inside because of the rain so no one's in there."

Daryl grinned at her mischievously.

"Ain't you had enough, woman?" he asked smugly.

"Oh no," Carol shook her head quickly, "I'm just getting warmed up."

With a wicked laugh, she ran out of the barn with her jacket in her hand, waving it like a flag as she headed for the RV. Daryl shook his head with a smile and followed her at a steady stride towards the Winnebago, wondering what she could possibly have up her sleeves...God only knows what she was planning after three weeks to think about it.

Maybe an argument and some space WAS healthy for a relationship after all! But then he shook his head. He NEVER wanted to go through that again. Ever.


	51. Caught

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Daryl catches Sophia and Carl and laws down the law.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tip Your Waitress: ko-fi.com/panjamysy  
> Tumblr: solar-pxwered.tumblr.com

The second Daryl's senses began to work as the sun's first light started to shine through the windows of the RV, he noticed the heavy musky scent of sex that hung around him. He glanced at the sleeping figure beside him and allowed himself a smile as he watched her breath. She was laying on her side, facing him, her arms curled up by her chest in something close to a self-hug, her lips twisted in a sleeping smile, and Daryl thought he'd never seen her look quite as lovely as she did now with the orange light of sunrise across her face. He turned onto his back and sighed, looking at the crossbow leaned up against the wall as he considered where he would go hunting this morning...but he just couldn't get his mind to focus on hunting and tracking right at that moment, he wanted nothing more than to just lay there and hold this woman until she woke up. And so that's what he did.

He let his eyes wander over every exposed inch of her that he could see, although the blanket pulled over them both obstructed his view of her lower half. He ran his calloused fingertips down her neck, her shoulder, her side and rested his hand on her hip, letting his fingers trace the hollow in front of the jutting boney prominence. He felt his stomach clench slightly, and he wished he could give her more than what they had, wished she didn't have to be so skinny, so tired, so hard-working...

His thoughts were interrupted when Carol's hand suddenly rose and rested on top of his, pressing his palm into her hip bone. She opened her eyes and smiled, a sight Daryl never got tired of.

"Good morning, beautiful," he whispered softly, pressing his lips to her forehead.

Carol snuggled closer to him, not quite one hundred percent awake, and sighed happily.

"G'mornin'," she mumbled softly.

Daryl smiled as she nuzzled her nose firmly into the junction of his neck and shoulder, closing his eyes at the shiver that shot down his spine from the contact. He'd missed this so much and he found himself wondering why he'd taken so long to let her back in, damn his pride.

"Missed you," he muttered, almost like his thoughts were spilling out of his mouth. "I'm sorry for everything that happened, Carol."

Carol pulled back slightly to look at him, her face was calm and she was smiling sweetly.

"Stop it, Daryl," she whispered, her thumb ran along his jawline and she twisted her fingers into his hair, "We both made a terrible mistake and I want nothing more than to just...put it in the past. Let's start over and make this work. I love you, I forgive you, and I trust you."

"You trust me?" Daryl repeated, quietly.

Carol nodded, leaning into kiss him gently. She pulled back just enough to break the kiss, but her lips still brushed his as she spoke again.

"Yes, Daryl, I do. I know now that I was still holding on to a little bit of fear...fear of being let down again, like I always have been by men. But you're not like him, you're everything a man should be. I'm sorry I haven't been giving you all of me...but I'm going to change that."

Daryl listened to her confession with his eyes closed, taking in her words and mulling them over in his mind.

"Because you're the best thing that ever happened to me, right there with Sophia, and you've proven yourself over and over again. I'll never let anything like this happen again...I'll never treat you that way again. I love you."

"Less talk, more action," Daryl muttered with a grin, pulling Carol over so she was right on top of him and he claimed her lips with desperate roughness. His hands slid over every bare inch of her they could as he felt her smile into his lips and eagerly begin to reciprocate.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Daryl stumbled out of the RV, knees still weak from that morning's roll in the sheets, and slung his crossbow over his shoulder as he fought the grin threatening to stay on his face the entire day and worked his face into the typical Daryl Dixon blank, imposing look he usually wore before he made his way to the woods.

On his way past the barn, the sound of a giggle caught his attention and he stopped in his tracks, something about that giggle sparking something in his brain and he waited for his brain to register why he'd stopped. Then it hit him, that was no giggle from and adult female, that was the childish giggle of a teenager being sneaky and thinking they're clever...

And there were only two teenage girls on this farm.

 _BAM!_ The barn door smacked into the wall from the force with which Daryl flung it open, causing the two figures on the pile of haybales to jump apart awkwardly, both pairs of cheeks flaring red and both pairs of eyes widening guiltily. Carl and Sophia...just as he had suspected.

"Dad!" Sophia immediately sought to placate the raging tower of muscle that was her father.

"Sophia, go find your mother," Daryl's voice was deep and dangerous, leaving no room for argument. Sophia gave Carl a fearful look and whispered something to him before she slid off the haybales and began her embarrassed walk towards the door. As she passed Daryl he reached out and caught her arm, stopping her and glaring down at her. "I'll talk to you later, young lady."

Sophia wanted so badly to defend herself and Carl, to tell him not to hurt Carl, to say anything at all...but she ducked her head, afraid to meet his fierce glare, and ran from the barn with embarrassed tears streaming down her face.

Daryl watched her go with a thoughtful squint for a moment, then he turned to Carl, his face took on a look of cold anger, his eyes hard and squinted fiercely as he walked across the floor to where Carl sat looking very, very contrite.

"Daryl..." he started to speak, but Daryl's look silenced him.

"Shut yer mouth, boy," he growled, "Don't say a damn word until I'm done with ya."

Carl bit his bottom lip and hung his head, prepared to take the verbal abuse Daryl was surely about to throw at him.

Daryl clenched and unclenched his fists a few times, closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths before he began pacing in front of the haybales.

"Kid, what did I tell you about keepin' yer paws off my daughter?" he asked, deadly calm, "Ya remember?"

Carl nodded.

"I said I'd hurt ya," Daryl stated, in case the kid was just playing along, "But you know what? I ain't gonna hurt ya..."

Carl looked up in surprise but Daryl's look still made him duck his head again.

"I tell what I'm gonna do, kid," Daryl said calmly, "I'm tellin' ya right now, _ya stay away from her._ I gave ya yer chance to do things right, to be honorable and respect my rules. Well, ya didn't do it, and ya lost yer chance. Yer done with her and I don't wanna see you near her again."

Carl looked up now, no longer afraid, more horrified than scared.

"But..." he started and Daryl cut him off by stepping towards him threateningly.

"Did I tell ya to talk yet?" he snapped and Carl shook his head, but didn't look down. "That's your problem, kid...ya don't listen t' no one. Well, yer listening this time because if you forget what I'm tellin' ya right now I'm gonna kick yer ass."

Daryl gave Carl a nod, telling him he was done talking and giving him the chance to defend himself.

"Mr. Daryl...I..." Carl stuttered and then he took a deep breath, calming himself down and trying to stop the tears gathering in his eyes from falling. "I'm sorry."

Daryl didn't say a word, he just leaned against the beam nearest the haybales and crossed his arms across his chest.

"I didn't mean for anything to happen when we came down here," Carl continued, his voice sounding a little on the pleading side, but Daryl thought he heard maybe a hint of acceptance as well. "We came down here to get hay for the horses...I never planned...we just..."

Daryl remained silent, waiting for Carl to organize his thoughts.

"Please don't tell me I can't see her anymore," Carl's eyes squinted in an effort not to cry, but Daryl heard his voice break slightly.

"Ya want her back, you've got a lot to prove," Daryl finally spoke, "Ya gotta get through me and Carol first, and after this...it ain't gonna be easy."

"Carol likes me," Carl stated simply.

"Yeah? Well, she likes me better," Daryl replied with a growl, "Ya ain't off to the best of starts, ya little shit. And you should be thankin' me for m' generosity, because I'd much rather just kick your ass and be done with ya."

With that, Daryl ended the discussion and walked out of the barn, heading towards the RV where he knew Carol would be soothing a crying Sophia. He hesitated at the door, not sure if he even wanted to go in and face this...but he took a deep breath and stepped inside. Sure enough, Sophia had her face pressed into Carol's chest as she cried loudly, sobbing out her excuses and saying how unfair it all was.

"We just wanted some time alone together," Sophia sniffed, not aware of his presence yet. Carol looked up at him and gave him one of those sad, "you know how it is" smiles. "Daddy freaks out every time Carl even looks at me! I'm not a baby anymore, why can't he let us be?"

"Because he loves you, Sophia," Carol stated calmly, smoothing Sophia's blonde hair down with her hand. "I know he's pretty rough about it sometimes but that's just the only way he really knows. He won't hurt Carl, I promise, you know he's not that mean."

"He looked like he was ready to kill something," Sophia whined, "We were just kissing, mom!"

"And that's all?" Carol asked, wanting both sides of the story. She knew Daryl's side was coming soon.

Sophia froze.

"Well...mom we weren't gonna do anything," she said, lamely. "But we might have gotten a little touchy..."

"Sophia..." Carol's tone was disappointed and that made Sophia cry even more. Daryl figured now would be a good time as any to announce his presence and he cleared his throat and set down his crossbow against the wall. Sophia looked up immediately, her eyes flashing angrily...just like her mother's eyes, Daryl noticed. He met her glare without any anger in his own expression and waited for what he knew was coming...sure enough, Sophia pulled away from Carol and stepped toe to toe with him, tilting her head back to glare up at him.

"What did you tell him!?" she hissed and Daryl couldn't help but raise one eyebrow at her tone.

"Told him to stay away from you until he can prove he ain't a piece of shit," he replied honestly. "So if I see him around ya, I ain't gonna hold back the ass whippin' next time. You two try and sneak behind my back and I'll be doin' the same. So if you want him to stay in one piece...stay away from him."

Sophia looked absolutely horrified.

"You can't do that!" she shrieked, "It's none of your business what Carl and I do, you're not even my real dad!"

Daryl saw Carol's hand cover her mouth in shock and even Sophia seemed to hesitate for a moment, considering her next words...but her anger won out.

"I hate you."

And she was out the door before either adult could even react, and the RV door slammed shut loudly, casting Daryl and Carol into complete silence. Daryl felt the sting of her words just like a smack in the face and he shut his eyes and tried to focus his breathing and calm down. He felt Carol's hand on his shoulder and he opened his eyes to look sideways at her, she looked horrified.

"Daryl...she didn't mean that, I know she didn't," she whispered, hesitating slightly to touch him more than she was, and Daryl knew she was afraid he was pissed. "She's upset and...and you know how easy it is to say things you don't mean when you're upset."

Daryl hated how uncomfortable she was being around him. God, it was going to take some time to recover from that smack he'd laid on her three weeks ago. He wanted her to know he wasn't that guy, he never wanted to hurt her and she shouldn't be afraid so he turned to face her and pulled her close by her midsection, his hands gripping her hips firmly, yet gently.

"I know," he whispered, but knowing it was true didn't make it any easier to hear.

"Daryl...I'm so sorry," Carol looked ready to cry and Daryl gave her a half-hearted smile.

"Stop it," he muttered, "Why are you always apologizin'? This ain't yer fault."

"But you're always getting yelled at and told terrible things," Carol's voice was thick as she looked at him seriously, "You don't deserve all that. Especially not from your own family."

"Families argue, Carol," Daryl whispered, "Just as long as we can forgive each other after, we're good."

Carol laughed slightly and let her head come to rest on his chest, a sighed escaping her.

"So...we keep them apart?" she asked softly.

"Yes," Daryl stated firmly, "I gave him his chance. If they want us to trust them to be responsible and smart...they got some provin' to do."

Carol nodded.

"I've got your back," she whispered. "Always."

Daryl smiled into his wife's soft, short hair.

"Thank you."

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sophia kicked angrily at the rocks in the driveway, muttering out loud to herself about the unfairness of the situation, but inside she was feeling like a completely terrible person.

_How could you say that to him!? After everything he's done for you, you said that to him?!_

_**I KNOW! I know...I feel like crap enough without you reminding me.** _

_You told him he's not your real dad! Duh, he knows that, you didn't have to shove it down his throat!_

_**I. KNOW. THAT.** _

_You love him more than you ever loved your real dad. Or did you EVER love Ed?_

_**I wanted to...I do love Daryl more than I ever loved Ed. But he probably hates me now for what I said.** _

_You know that's not true. He loves you...that's why he's doing this._

_**It's a shitty way to show someone you care!** _

"Gonna fry yer brain, kid," the gruff voice of Merle broke Sophia from her thoughts and she looked up, nervously. She knew he wouldn't hurt her...but he still made her uncomfortable. He HAD kidnapped her after all! "What ya thinkin' so hard about? And why ya so pissed?"

"Daryl..." was all she could say as she kicked the dirt again.

Merle rolled his eyes and laughed.

"Yeah, I can understand that," he said, "What my dumbass little brother do this time?"

Sophia looked up and bit her bottom lip, wondering if she should even be speaking to Merle, Daryl probably wouldn't want her to...and that reason alone was enough to make her want to.

"He just told my boyfriend he couldn't be with me anymore," she said angrily, "He's so unreasonable! He didn't even stop to get an explanation, he just..."

"Flipped out?" Merle offered.

"Yes," Sophia sighed sadly. "He makes me so mad when he treats me like a baby."

Merle gave her a thoughtful look and then nodded at her to join him on the woodpile. They both sat down on the mountain of logs and Sophia kept her head hung.

"Daryl don't always think before he does stuff," Merle stated, trying to ease the tension.

"Well then I guess we're not too different," Sophia stated miserably.

"Why's that?" Merle asked, interested.

"I...I told him I hated him and...and that he wasn't my real dad," Sophia's voice broke as she made her confession, a tear spilled over her right lower lashes and slid down her cheek. "I didn't mean it! I don't know why I said it!"

Merle sucked in a breath, surprised at the feisty attitude this little blonde girl had in her...she was more Dixon than she knew.

"Well, don't we all say shit we don't mean when we're pissed?" he asked, not really knowing how to soothe this kid...his niece if he actually thought about it.

"Yes...but that was just...exceptionally bad," Sophia nodded sadly. "I wish I could take it back."

"Well, ya can't," Merle said firmly, "Can't take shit back once it's out yer mouth. Only thing you can do is fix it."

"How am I suppose to fix it?" Sophia asked, trying not to cry. "I'm too angry to talk to him...and he's probably mad at me now too."

Merle looked around the corner of the house to where Daryl and Carol were standing by the RV, her hand pressed softly against his little brother's scruffy cheek as she spoke gently to him...he didn't look angry. Merle recognized the look he had now, the look he got every time Merle himself had hurt him back when they were young, every time he teased him about not being man enough...not a speck of anger, just deflated and out of fight.

"Trust me, kid," he stated when he looked back to Sophia, "He ain't mad."

"How do you know?" Sophia sniffed, wiping her eyes.

"B'cause he's my damn brother and I know shit about him no one else does," Merle replied confidently, "Just take some time to calm down yerself and when you're ready to talk, he'll be ready to listen. Daryl always was good about listenin'."

Merle gave Sophia a really awkward pat on the head and then he stood and walked off to continue whatever job he'd been doing before she'd caught his attention. Sophia watched him walk for a moment before she smiled and sat up straighter.

"Thank you, uncle Merle!" she called, loud enough for him to hear but not loud enough for anyone else to hear. Merle stopped in his tracks and looked back at her in surprise...but he gave her a small, unsure smiled before he turned back around and kept walking.

Sophia sat on the woodpile for a long time, letting her head clear and calming herself down, mulling over her apology in her head and planning on ways she could demonstrate she could be trusted...she knew Daryl would hold true to his word and lift the ban if they could just show him they were mature enough to handle themselves. Finally, she pushed herself up from the logs and rounded the house, looking around for Daryl's gruff stride or the flash of his crossbow in the late November sun.

"Mom!" she called when she saw Carol walking up to the house with a pile of wet clothes in her arms to hang by the fire. "Mom, where is daddy?"

"Out hunting, 'Phia," Carol replied, "He'll be back by dinner."

"I need to apologize..." Sophia hung her head.

"Yes, you do," Carol agreed, "What you said was very hurtful."

Sophia nodded miserably and followed Carol into the house to help her hand the clothes on the makeshift line in the living room.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Daryl dropped the pile of squirrels on the table next to where Beth was skinning potatoes and made his way directly to Carol who was leaned over the sink, cleaning the already skinned ones. He encircled her waist with his arms and nuzzled his nose into her neck.

"Hey there," Carol laughed, flicking water at his face from her wet fingers. "Hunting go well?"

"Just got squirrels," Daryl muttered, clearly annoyed at the lack of game in the area. It's like the animals were getting use to him being out there and they were getting smart at avoiding him.

"Sophia's in the living room," Carol stated then, "She wants to talk to you."

Daryl grunted and backed away, turning to go to the living room. Carol watched him go with a smile, knowing everything was going to be ok.

Daryl found Sophia sitting in front of the fireplace, rubbing her cold arms, and he slid down beside her, setting his crossbow aside. She avoided looking at him for a while and he didn't say a word, just waited for her to speak.

"Daryl..." she started, almost so quietly he didn't hear, but then she cleared her throat and looked up at him. "Daddy..."

That made Daryl look over and meet her eyes. Big blue eyes that were squinted painfully as she struggled for words. Daryl gave her a twitchy smile and reached out, pulling her into his chest immediately. Why waste time talking? He understood what she meant in that one single word...and that was enough for him.

"Love ya, Peaches," he whispered as he held onto her for dear life. Damn, this being a father business was so hard...but he wouldn't trade it for the world.


	52. Thanksgiving

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the family celebrates Thanksgiving

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tip Your Waitress: ko-fi.com/panjamysy  
> Tumblr: solar-pxwered.tumblr.com

Daryl was up before the butt crack of dawn, early even for him. He shouldered his crossbow and snuck out of the RV quietly and carefully, trying not to wake Carol or Sophia in the process. Lulu, however, jumped up immediately and he rolled his eyes as she followed him out.

"Lulu, ya better be smart and keep quiet," he grumbled at the bobcat as it walked beside him on his way to the woods. "Can't have ya messin' this up."

The bobcat slunk into the underbrush in silence, not even acknowledging his words and Daryl shook his head as he went in the opposite direction of her. He walked till he came to the place he'd been planning on visiting for the last month and then he looked around carefully before choosing one to climb up into. He pulled himself up, branch by branch, and settled in carefully when he found a spot that suited him, blue eyes scanning the field below carefully.

It wasn't too long until his quarry showed up, exactly how he'd hoped it would. He knew just by the look of the place it was the perfect spot. Smiling, he raised his bow and took careful aim, then let his bolt fly.

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"Wake up, Sleeping Beauty," Carol moaned loudly and rolled away from the voice and the hand shaking her shoulder. For a moment she thought she'd escaped the early wake-up call, but then she felt the mattress shift and she was suddenly airborne above it. When she came back down and hit the mattress she sat up and glared at her husband who was kneeling on the bed with a huge grin on his face.

"Didn't anyone ever tell you not to jump on the bed?" Carol moaned, rubbing her tired eyes. "What do you want?"

"I need you to get up and help me with something," Daryl replied with a wink and a grin. "Sophia's already up and at it with me. C'mon, lazy bones, get up!"

Daryl stood up and took hold of her ankles, pulling her slowly off the bed even as she scrambled for a hold on the sheets to prevent it. She lost and she found herself on her butt on the floor, Daryl standing over her with a smile on his incredibly handsome face.

"I'll carry you out if I gotta," he threatened playfully.

"Why the heck are you so happy?" Carol sighed, standing up and rubbing her slightly sore tailbone.

He didn't reply, he simply winked and made his way back out of the RV. Carol shook her head with a small smile at his antics and started getting ready to face the day, not that it took very long these days. So a few minutes later she stepped outside and gasped at the sight before her.

Sophia and Daryl were sitting underneath one of the trees with a large mass of brown feathers in between them. They were grabbing handfuls of the feathers and placing them in a bag and Carol realized now that they were plucking a rather large bird and she approached with interest. It was a turkey, no, not just one, TWO turkeys! One was a decent size, but the Tom was very large and Daryl grinned up at her as she eyed the birds happily.

"Daryl, that thing is HUGE!" she said excitedly.

"You know, I get that a lot," Daryl winked up at her and she rolled her eyes at his try at humor.

"Shut up," Carol laughed crouching down next to them, "We're gonna eat like kings tonight!"

"Of course we are," Sophia said, stuffing another handful of feathers in the bag next to her, "It's Thanksgiving!"

Carol looked up in shock. Was it really Thanksgiving? She'd completely lost track of time! She stood up and clapped her hands together.

"Well, we're gonna make it as good a Thanksgiving as we ever had!" she announced, "Bring those turkeys in when they're ready!"

With that, she turned and headed for the house with a skip in her step. The kitchen was empty, most everyone was still asleep, which was fine with her. She rolled up her sleeves and started digging through the cupboards for everything she would need.

"What are you doing, Carol?" a sleepy voice asked a few minutes later. Carol turned and found Lori standing in the doorway, rubbing her eyes tiredly.

"Good morning, Lori," Carol smiled, "It's Thanksgiving, did you know? Daryl went out this morning and got two turkeys and it got me in a cooking mood! What do you say, wanna help make an amazing Thanksgiving dinner?"

Lori perked up immediately and she smiled.

"It's Thanksgiving?! Oh my goodness, I love Thanksgiving!" she practically squealed with delight, "Of course I'll help you!"

Before long, Maggie, Beth and Patricia had joined them in the kitchen and they were all laughing and cooking up a storm.

"Sounds like a coop full 'o hens in this here kitchen," Daryl's voice made Carol turned around from the counter where she was chopping up carrots and she smiled when she saw he was holding up the freshly cleaned and gutted turkeys.

"Oh, hush your mouth, Daryl Dixon," Lori laughed, taking one of the turkeys from him and dropping it in a large bowl to wash it off.

"Holy goodness, that thing is HUGE!" Maggie squealed when Daryl laid the bigger turkey on the island.

"So I've heard," Daryl said with a grin and a wink in Carol's direction. She rolled her eyes, but she set down her knife and the carrot she was working on and walked over. She slid her arms around his waist and stood tip-toed to press a kiss to the corner of his mouth.

"Thank you, Daryl," she said genuinely.

"No need t' thank me, Carol," he said, clearly uncomfortable with this very public display of affection, "I'm just...doin' what I can."

All the women in the kitchen were smiling at the pair with wide smiles and soft eyes and it made Daryl very nervous so he finally pushed Carol away gently and stated he was going out to see if Rick needed any help. Carol watched him go with a smile, her eyes trained on the back of his cargo pants as he left.

"Hate to see him go, love to watching him leave?" Patricia suggested when the front door closed behind him. All the women cracked up and got back to work.

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By that evening, the kitchen counters were filled with bowls and plates full of food and the smells coming from the room was starting to attract everyone. Glenn had actually snuck in and snatched a sweet potato out of the pan, earning him a smack on the forearm with a wooden spoon from Maggie. One by one, the group members learned the consequences of trying to pilfer food before dinner, all except for Daryl who hadn't been seen all day.

Finally, Carol and Patricia declared the final touches were done and that it was time to partake in the new world's first Thanksgiving dinner. Word spread very quickly and soon enough, everyone had flown into the house, everyone had the same look of excited hunger on their faces as they started claiming places at the tables.

"Whoa, whoa," Lori said suddenly, "You boys are filthy! Get upstairs and wash up a little, please! At LEAST wash your hands but up to the shoulders would be preferable. Go or no Thankgiving dinner for you!"

The sound of chairs scooting and feet running up the stairs made Carol giggle. The men were acting like children at Christmas. Finally, everyone was decently clean and fit to sit at the table.

"Ok, since we have far too much food to fit on this table, it's all staying in the kitchen," Maggie announced from the doorway between the dining room and kitchen. "So, if ya'll would bring your plates in here, we'll fix ya right up!"

So a line was formed and the group filed through the kitchen, holding out their plates as they went down the line, being loaded up with turkey, mashed sweet potatoes, cooked spinach, squash, cooked apples, wild onions, and cornbread. Daryl eyed the extra large piles of turkey and squash on his plate and he looked up at the server and was caught in the familiar gaze of Carol. She was all smiles, she looked happier than he'd ever seen her and he remembered her saying once how much she loved Thanksgiving.

"Save you a spot," he told her with his signature smirk and she nodded happily as she scooped out squash for Glenn. Daryl sat next to Merle and glared at anyone who made a move to occupy the seat on his other side until Carol finally joined the fray and placed her plate next to his and sat.

Hershel said the blessing, a particularly long and in depth blessing, full of thankfulness, and then they all tucked in to the amazing food they were indeed blessed to have. Everyone was farm raised, found in the woods, or taken from the root cellar, hardly anything was from the life they knew before except for the cinnamon on the apples. But the biggest hit was by far the turkey and Carol saw how Daryl ducked his head and mumbled that it was no big deal every time someone threw a compliment his way. Some things about Daryl Dixon never changed, Carol could see he would never lose that humbleness he had about him.

"Oh my good Lord in Heaven," Beth sighed as she let her fork drop to her plate, "That was so good!"

"I need bigger pants," T-Dog moaned as he clutched his rather swollen stomach.

"I need a bigger stomach!" Dale complained, looking sadly at the food that remained on his plate.

"I'll take care of that for you, Dale!" Daryl said with a grin, spearing the turkey off the older man's plate and shoving it all in his mouth. Dale pushed the plate across the table to him and Merle wasted no time in snatching the remains of the turkey, leaving the vegetables for Daryl. Daryl gave him a glare but ate the veggies without complaint.

It wasn't long after that when everyone declared they were too stuffed to eat another bite and they all leaned back in the their chairs with their hands resting on their over stretched stomachs, happy sighs were heard every once in a while, but it was otherwise silent.

"We made pie," Maggie piped up. Everyone groaned loudly.

"Ok, well we also made hot apple cider," Lori announced, standing up and heading into the kitchen. She turned and leaned back into the room. "Someone want to get that fire in the living room back up to size?"

Merle immediately stood up and volunteered for the task, receiving many grateful looks from the stuffed individuals around the table. One by one, they pushed their chairs back and headed for the living room, everyone started taking their seats around the room and Carol found herself on the floor to the right of the fireplace with Daryl reclining back on his palms to her side and Sophia leaning back into her from between her legs in front. Merle came in moments later with an arm full of wood and went to work on getting the flames back up. Lori brought in cups of hot cider one by one and handed them out. Eventually, everyone finally settled in and the chit chat began to flood the room.

Carol remained quiet, as did Daryl beside her. His eyes were focused on Merle across the living room where he was talking to Andrea and Carol recognized that look. It was the look he got back whenever Shane would get into one of his moods, the look he got when Maggie had rode up on the horse and rescued Andrea so long ago, the look he once gave even her...distrust, cold hard distrust. Carol reached out secretly and covered his hand with hers and gave it a gently squeeze which caused him to break his stare and look at her with mild surprise. Carol noticed that he still felt surprised at her touch and she knew he still felt in the back of his mind that he didn't deserve her...which was bullshit.

"Daryl," she whispered, "Relax. You're all tensed up like a cat about to pounce."

Daryl gave her that cute little lopsided smile he had and he nodded. But she knew he was concerned over Merle's recent attention towards the blonde woman. He cared about everyone in this group and Carol had no doubts the man would hurt Merle very badly if he harmed anyone. To Daryl, every member of this family was his responsibility to guard and protect.

"Daryl, we can trust him," she assured her on edge husband. "Please don't start anything. It's Thanksgiving."

Something about the pleading tone in her voice made Daryl close his eyes and sigh. But he nodded and gave her a genuine smile.

"Love ya, woman," he whispered, leaning over to press a quick kiss to the side of her face. She smiled and was glad, for his sake, that no one noticed.

"Love you too, you big softie," she teased.

"I think we should go around the room and say something that we're each thankful for," Sophia suddenly stated, all eyes turned her way. "That's what we always use to do at our Thanksgivings, right mom?"

Carol nodded, remembering how her answer was always the same because it was what Ed wanted to hear: her marriage.

"Great idea!" Beth said happily.

"Who'll start?" Maggie asked. "How about you, Daddy?"

Hershel nodded and looked around the room.

"I'm thankful for my daughters and this farm," he stated solemnly, "The gracious Lord saw fit to allow me to keep the things that He knew I needed."

"I'm thankful for my family too, of course," Maggie stated, but then she looked at Glenn, "But that is no surprise and it's something I always have been thankful for. This year I have a new person to add to that list, I'm thankful for Glenn."

Glenn blushed brightly and mumbled something inaudible before he cleared his throat and looked up again.

"I'm thankful for Hershel's approval in letting me be with Maggie," he said honestly, "Without that, I'd be pretty miserable."

"I'm thankful for that amazing dinner we just had," T-Dog said happily, "We're so lucky to have such wonderful cooks and lots of land to provide us with foods that'll never run out."

"I'm thankful for good friends, new friends," Beth stated, "Carl and Sophia, you especially."

"I'm thankful for the safety we've all been provided with so far," Patricia said.

"I'll second that," Jimmy clinked their cups together.

"I'm thankful for peace amongst all members of this group," Dale said seriously, and many nods and murmurs of agreement were heard.

"I'm thankful for the knowledge that someone has always got my back," Rick stated solemnly, giving both Merle and Daryl almost unnoticeable nods.

"I'm thankful for a pregnancy that was successful and for the new addition to my family," Lori said, hugging Carl tightly. For once, the kid didn't look annoyed by the hug.

"I'm thankful for my new baby sister too," Carl stated.

"I'm thankful for second chances," Andrea said quietly, giving Merle a kind smile.

"Me too," Merle said quietly, but everyone was so quiet waiting for his answer that they all heard it anyway, "Especially when someone don't really deserve it."

Now everyone's eyes turned to the small family by the fireplace and Carol saw Daryl wiggle nervously out of the corner of her eye.

"I'm thankful for mom and dad," Sophia piped right up with no hesitation, "And that Dale is letting us use the RV for our home this winter!"

Carol saw the eyes move to her and she closed her eyes to let it sink in again. She was free from her past, free from Ed and the fake attempts at happiness she had to make at every family holiday, she was truly happy for the first time in a long time.

"I'm thankful for new beginnings, " she finally found herself saying, "For the chance to start over and make a new life. I'm thankful that, for some reason, a certain redneck decided that I was worth taking care of and that my daughter was worth looking for. I'm thankful for this whole damn world going to shit if that's what it took to break free."

She wasn't surprised at the looks on the faces around her. Shock, surprise and disbelief...except for three faces. Sophia's, Daryl's...and Merle's.

But soon, the attention left her and was directed at Daryl who swallowed nervously and looked down at his boots as he wiggled his feet back and forth.

"I'm thankful for this woman next to me and that little girl in 'er lap," he mumbled, "I ain't never had much in the way of a family before and...I never expected when I went out lookin' for a lost little girl I'd end up finding my daughter. An'...I can never be grateful enough that this woman right here saw past me and never gave up on my worthless ass."

There was silence. But it was the type of silence where no one felt the need to talk. Carol barely even noticed it at all because she was looking into those blue eyes that she adored and soaking up the moment, logging it into her memory for the rest of time. Daryl gave her a genuine smile and she felt his hand slide into hers, all shame in maybe getting spotted doing so seemed to have disappeared as his thumb traced the back of her hand.

"Anyone up for some persimmon pie?" Maggie's voice interrupted Carol's musing and she looked up with a smile.

"Maggie made it herself," she stated, making Maggie blush slightly, "She said it's a great substitute for pumpkin pie."

By this point, everyone felt that they could fit some pie in their stretched stomachs and everyone claimed so. Maggie disappeared into the kitchen to start plating the pie and Carol went to stand and help her but Daryl's hand was firm on her wrist and he prevented her from rising.

"Woman, you ain't always gotta do everything that involves the damn kitchen," he whispered, pulling her against him now that Sophia had moved over to sit by Carl. Daryl was still watching them very closely as the kids talked. Carol giggled and gripped his chin, turning his face her way, then leaned in to kiss him.

"Aww, you two sure are cute!" Patricia said happily.

Carol saw Daryl's hand raise, undoubtedly to flip the woman off, so she grabbed it before he could and leaned back, eyes twinkling. He grinned at her and silently assured her with his expression that he wasn't going to cause any trouble.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The persimmon pie was a huge hit and, by the time they'd all had two or more pieces, it was getting late and the kids were starting to yawn, Sophia had actually fallen asleep leaning on Carl's shoulder.

"Well, happy Thanksgiving everyone," Carol said as she and Daryl stood up to leave, "See you in the morning."

Everyone said their goodbyes to them and Daryl went over to get Sophia. He eyed Carl with a threatening squint as he leaned down and picked Sophia up, bridal style. Carl gulped but nodded in silent understanding, this was something he should not get use to, Carol rolled her eyes at Daryl when he turned around and met her at the door with Sophia.

"You've got that kid scared of you," she whispered.

"Good," he replied with a wink.

Together, they walked to the RV, Carol held his crossbow at the ready since he was indisposed at the moment and they made it safely with no trouble. They went inside and locked the door behind them, a precaution Carol insisted on because she considered it was possibly for walkers to open doors. She set his crossbow down, leaning against the wall of the small "bedroom" in back and smiled as she watched him settle Sophia down in her makeshift bed on the floor. She didn't even move she was so passed out tired.

"She's bushed," Daryl whispered as he sat on the end of the bed and kicked off his boots. "She's been runnin' around with me all day, cleanin' those birds and helpin' out on the farm. She didn't leave my side all day."

"She loves you," Carol assured him, "She's never had a father she could spend time with and not get hurt for it."

Daryl sniffed angrily at that and scooted backwards until he was lined up next to her. Carol put her arm over him and laid her head on his chest, enjoying the fact that he was there, not even asking for anything more than just to be there next to him.

"Daryl," she whispered after a long silence.

"Mmm?" Daryl asked, sleepily.

"Thank you so much for making this a wonderful Thanksgiving," she said softly, "It's the best I've ever had."

"Even if I can't always do it, I love makin' ya happy," Daryl replied groggily, pulling her a little closer, "I think we all needed this little pick me up, huh?"

"Yep," Carol sighed, feeling her eyes getting heavy, "Can't wait till Christmas."


	53. Merry Christmas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The family celebrates Christmas on the farm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tip Your Waitress: ko-fi.com/panjamysy  
> Tumblr: solar-pxwered.tumblr.com

The farm was in a frenzy. A good sort of frenzy, but a frenzy none the less, and it was highly unsettling for the Dixon brothers as everyone's personalities had begun to change. The snow had fallen a few night's prior and had been powdering off and on ever since, every once in a while throughout the days, big fat flakes would fall and add to the blanket on the ground. It wasn't a completely white terrain around them, but it was good enough to cover the majority of the ground and coat the tree branches.

Merle had mused that there must be something in the snow that affected non-Dixons, because everyone was ridiculously smiley and everyone was laughing and whispering and being giggly, it was somewhat disconcerting. Daryl figured there might just be something to Merle's theory as he watched Lori and Rick kissing underneath a stupid little bundle of leaves in the doorway to the living room on his way into the kitchen to see Carol.

"Oh, Daryl, I'm glad you're here!" Carol smiled at him when he stepped into the kitchen. She was washing dishes, but she didn't seemed bothered by it even though he knew she hated that job. "I need you to gather everyone up and get them to come inside."

"What for?" Daryl questioned, dropping the string of small game he'd come in to give her in the first place on the island.

"You'll see," Carol smiled, flicking sudsy water at him. He dodged it and smiled.

"Sure, I'll get 'em," he agreed. He interrupted Rick and Lori to give them the message and they jumped apart, blushing furiously. Rick stuttered that he would help find everyone and they soon had everyone rounded up and in the living room. Carol walked in with a bowl, smiling from ear to ear, making Daryl's stomach flip at the sight of it.

"Ok, here's the deal," she announced happily, "Christmas is coming very soon! As you can see, I already started the decorations."

She pointed at the leaves hung in the doorway and there was a collection of laughter in the room that Daryl and Merle had no clue how to interpret.

"But something we always did in my family was do a name draw," Carol continued, "We put all our names in this bowl on paper pieces and everyone takes one piece. Whoever's name you get is who you get a present for."

There was an excited murmur from most everyone in the room, but Daryl and Merle just exchanged similar, understanding looks. They'd never bought or received a gift in their lives and they had no clue how the hell they were suppose to find anything to give anyone in the current state of affairs. But they kept silent and drew their papers along with everyone else. Thankfully, no one drew their own name and so there was complete and utter secrecy amongst them as they eyed the names on their papers.

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The next couple of weeks were spent readying the farm for Christmas. The cows were herded closer to the farm to take up residence in the barn if they felt like it, and the sweet smell of cattle could be smelled from every corner of the place. Firewood was being stored up in large amounts as the sky threatened to pour down more snow. Daryl was out in the woods nearly every spare second of his days, bringing back meat of all kinds.

But for Carol, Beth, Maggie, Lori and Patricia, all the preparation inside the house was the icing on the proverbial cake. Maggie, Beth and Patricia had gleefully led Carol and Lori upstairs where they found boxes full of decorations, ornaments, and assorted Christmas paraphernalia and they had gone absolutely crazy with the decorating, adding to the mistletoe Carol had hung several days prior.

"Carl," Carol said as she brought the ladder in from the shed, "Can you please go find Sophia and tell her we're decorating for Christmas if she wants to join us? She loves this part!"

Carl nodded eagerly, setting down the box of garland he'd brought downstairs. He trotted out the door and found Sophia playing with Lulu by the woodpile where Merle was stacking the wood Daryl was chopping nearby.

"Sophia! Come on, we're decorating the house for Christmas!" Carl announced eagerly, pulling Sophia to her feet and tugging her arm excitedly. Daryl eyed them with that threatening squint and Carl immediately released his hold and hung his head slightly.

"They are?!" Sophia squealed excitedly, "Oh my gosh! Come on, Carl, let's go!"

The two kids ran back to the house and added their hands to the decorating efforts. Carol couldn't even describe the warmth inside her as she watched the two children and Beth sorting through the box of garland and the boxes of knick knacks. Sophia handed her a long string of plain green garland and Carol hung it gently and perfectly on the pre-hung hooks on the fireplace so that it framed it beautifully, then she added a strand of silver to give the effect of snow on the green and they all stepped back to look at the end result. Beth started placing little collection of candle holder village buildings on the mantel and Carol went to the kitchen to get the tealight candles from the box Lori, Patricia and Maggie had taken to the kitchen to begin their decorating there.

They had already unwrapped all the Christmas plates, cups, silverware, placemats and other kitchenware and Carol picked up one the plate with a warm smile. White china plates outlined with holly leaves and red berries, much like her old Christmas plate set.

"How's the living room coming along?" Lori asked brightly, sitting down to feed Judith.

"We're working on the mantel right now," Carol replied with a smile, "Are those tealights in this box, Patricia?"

Patricia nodded and tossed her the pack of candles and Carol headed back to the living room. She walked smack into the back of Daryl as she rounded the corner and she giggled as he looked at her funny.

"Want to help decorate?" she asked, waving the tealights at him. He eyed them funny and then smiled.

"I wouldn't know where t' start," he admitted, "I ain't never celebrated Christmas."

Carol's heart squeezed uncomfortably at his confession and she almost gave him a pitying look but she stopped herself and nodded.

"Well, you're going to this year!" she stated confidently, "Starting now!"

She leaned forward and pulled his head down and pressed her lips to his sweetly then backed off with a grin. He was grinning too.

"What was that for?" he asked.

Carol pointed up at the sprig of mistletoe in the doorway.

"It's tradition to kiss someone if you're both under the mistletoe," she stated simply. "Not that I need that excuse to kiss you, Daryl. Come on, help us decorate!"

"Can't," Daryl sighed, eyeing the boxes almost wistfully, "Rick, T-Dog, Jimmy and I are going out to chop down some trees."

Carol clapped her hands together suddenly, making Daryl jump and look at her strangely.

"Daryl while you're out there, can you cut us down a Christmas tree?!" she squealed excitedly.

Daryl smiled at her expression and laughed lightly before he leaned in and kissed her forehead.

"Of course I can," he replied, "I'll getcha a perfect one."

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

That night, everyone came bursting into the house at the same time and Carol nearly jumped out of her skin at the loud bang of the door and the commotion coming from the porch. She heard Daryl's name mentioned several times and she felt her heart jump into her throat in concern. She dropped the wreath she had been hanging on Hershel's bedroom door and ran down the stairs to see what had happened. When she reached the foyer she stopped in her tracks and smiled.

Daryl and Rick were dragging a good sized spruce tree on a makeshift sledge across the driveway and everyone was grinning like crazy as they scurried around the living room pointing at the corner of the living room next to the large sliding door where they'd cleared a space for it. Between Rick, Daryl, Glenn and Jimmy they managed to get the tree in and up while T-Dog nailed the stabilizing boards to the trunk to keep it upright. Finally they stepped back and eyed their handiwork and the women and kids clapped in excitement. Carol stood back behind everyone and waited for Daryl step back like she knew he would, like he always did and she took his hand inconspicuously and smiled softly at him.

"Thank you, Daryl," she whispered, "It's perfect."

He smiled back and she felt him squeeze her hand tighter.

"Can we decorate it?!" Sophia came running up with Carl on her heels. "There's a whole box of decorations and tinsel and things! Even some candy canes that are still good!"

"How d'ya know they're still good?" Daryl asked with a knowing grin.

"Um...Carl and I split one," Sophia admitted with a sheepish grin.

"Ask Maggie or Herschel," Carol said with a chuckle, "It's their things."

The kids scurried off to find one of them. Hershel smiled at the kids and nodded, Carol couldn't hear what he said but Sophia fixed that. She stood up on the fireplace hearth and announced they were going to decorate the tree and everyone should take a seat while she and Carl handed out the ornaments for everyone to hang. Carol laughed and pulled a confused Daryl towards the couch and they sat down and waited.

"Is everyone in here?" Carl asked, looking around.

"Uncle Merle's not!" Sophia announced with a look of utter horror on her face. "We better go get him!"

"I'll go," Andrea announced, she was the only one who hadn't taken a seat yet so she headed for the door. A while later, she returned with a nervous looking Merle on her tail, they halted in the doorway and leaned against the frame on either side.

Carol got a wicked idea.

"Kiss you two!" she called, "You're under the mistletoe!"

Andrea's eyes went wide and she looked up to see the aforementioned sprig and then proceeded to give Carol a look that could melt steel. But she must have been one for following tradition or superstition because she sighed and turned to Merle, pulling his face down and pressing a quick kiss to his lips, leaving him looking utterly shocked and embarrassed...Carol mused that expression ran deep in the Dixon family.

"Gross! Let's do the tree!" Sophia laughed, running over and taking Merle and Andrea's hands and pulling them into the room. They sat on the floor, avoiding the others' eyes and then Carl and Sophia began an assembly line where Carl pulled out the ornaments and hung them on the little hooks and Sophia took them from him to hand out among the people in the room. Carol accepted the little glass bell from her daughter with a smile and held it up to look at. It was delicate and clear with silver details of stars etched into the glass and she almost cried because it was so pretty and so unlike anything she'd seen in so long. She glanced over when Sophia ran up to Daryl and handed him a plastic reindeer with a bright red nose.

"Rudolph," Carol giggled, pointing at the little ornament in his hands. He looked at her with a totally confused look.

"What'dya say just now?" he asked, clearly annoyed at his lack of Christmas knowledge. Carol giggled.

"That reindeer ornament your holding," Carol clarified, "It's name is Rudolph. There was an old claymation movie and there's a song...we'll sing it tonight, don't worry."

"Ok," Sophia chimed before Daryl could reply, "Everybody hang your first one!"

Everyone stood and lined up to hang their given items on the tree and then returned to their seats. Carol noticed Daryl and Merle both looked ridiculously nervous about the whole ordeal but they remained silent and Daryl even managed a small smile when Sophia handed him his next ornament, a plain golden ball ornament. Carol received a ceramic angel holding a painted gold horn.

After several rounds of this, the tree was stuffed with every single ornament out of the box. Carl and Sophia hung the candy canes and tossed the tinsel on the branches and when they stepped back everyone looked at the tree with a universal expression of nostalgia and longing for things they knew they'd never have again...all except for Daryl and Merle, who looked thoughtful.

"Tomorrow's the twenty-fifth," Hershel said suddenly, breaking the silence with his choked voice. "I think she should all do our best to make it as festive as possible. After all, this season is about celebrating the birth of Jesus and I believe it's Him that has kept us all alive and brought us all together. We ought to remember that."

Everyone agreed and took that as the signal to depart to their various sleeping quarters. Tomorrow would be a busy day.

"Daryl," Carol stated as they walked to the RV, Sophia skipped along beside them with Lulu at her heels, "Tomorrow I'd like it very much if you and Merle would help me and the girls with the baking and stuff. I know you're thinking I'm crazy but...this is the first Christmas you've ever had and I think you'll really like what goes on in a house on Christmas."

She expected him to balk, but he simply gave her a smile and nodded.

"I'll get my chores done early," he stated, opening the RV door for her. She stepped up and then leaned down to press a kiss to the tip of his nose, making him crinkle it like he always did when she kissed him like that, and then went inside laughing.

"I'ma do a quick look around," he chuckled from behind her on the ground, "Just be sure."

Carol nodded. He did this every night and she always admired his survival instincts and his loyalty to keep them all safe. She tucked Sophia into bed and then made her way to the back and kicked off her shoes then pulled on her pajama pants, leaving on her sweater. She laid down in the darkness on the bed and waited for Daryl to return.

She heard him come in a few minutes later. The click of the lock announced he'd locked the door and the halt in his steps announced he'd stopped to kiss Sophia goodnight and she heard his murmured "Night, Peaches" and the reply of "Night, daddy, love you!" from Sophia before she heard him come in the back and set his crossbow down next to the bed and kick his boots off. She felt the bed shift as he slid in behind her, his arm soon came over her shoulder to pull her back into him.

"See you tomorrow," he whispered before they both drifted off to sleep.

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Carol and Sophia were up at dawn and heading for the house, both of them had a spring in their steps as they reached the porch and went inside. The place was already bustling, the men were getting up to do the outside work and the women were congregated in the kitchen, even Andrea was in there.

"Ok," Carol laughed rolling up her sleeves, "First things first, let's decided what all we want to cook!"

Once they had compiled a decent list of food, they began to bustle around the kitchen and cellar and the generator run freezer gathering their ingredients. Carol was heading out the door to get flour from the root cellar when she saw Daryl coming across the yard, grinning and carrying something over his shoulder. As he trotted up the stairs, he held up a pretty good sized Canadian Goose, three rabbits and a string of fish.

"How's this for a contribution?" he asked brightly.

"How'd you get a bird with your crossbow?!" Carol asked in amazement.

"Well, I'll tell ya, it takes a hell of a stubborn person," he laughed, "Merle actually caught the fish. He won't be here for a while, he and Glenn went for a quick run into town."

Carol rolled her eyes and took the goose and rabbits from him and motioned with her head for him to follow her to the kitchen where they laid the meat down and received several excited squeals.

"My goodness!" Lori said happily, "We're going to have a gorgeous dinner!"

"Daryl Dixon, you never cease to provide," Patricia said happily, taking the string of gutted fish and placing them on the counter to filet them.

"You go wash up and then come down here and we'll put you to work," Carol smiled, pushing Daryl out of the kitchen and towards the stairs.

"Don't have to be so pushy, woman," Daryl grinned, but allowed himself to be shoved towards the steps. He took the steps two at a time and left Carol to return to her previous goal of getting flour.

Daryl showed up in the kitchen about twenty minutes later and Carol smiled at the sight of him all clean and ready to work. She pulled him over to where Sophia was mixing cookie batter in a bowl.

"I have no clue what I'm doin', Peaches," Daryl laughed as he eyed the ingredients around them.

"It's just sugar cookies, daddy," Sophia said simply, "Hand me the baking soda?"

"The what?" Daryl grumbled as he picked up the containers one by one. Sophia pointed at a plastic container of white powdery stuff and he handed it to her with a grunt. She put a tiny bit in her bowl of flour and then mixed it all in with her wet ingredients in the large bowl.

"Here," Sophia took pity on the very lost-looking Daryl and handed him the basket of cookie cutters, "Pick out the Christmas ones."

Daryl took the basket to where Carl was peeling potatoes with Lori and started digging through it. Candy Cane, yeah that was Christmassy. Angel. Star. Tree. Snowman. Reindeer. Rabbit.

"What does a rabbit have to do with Christmas?" Carl laughed as he pointed at the cutter Daryl had placed on the table.

"You're gonna be eatin' 'em for Christmas, ain't ya?" Daryl replied, just daring Carl to argue that fact.

"Good point," Lori giggled, dropping a potato into the bowl between her and her son.

Sophia joined them soon and eyed the cutters Daryl had laid out, she giggled when she saw the rabbit and the horse shapes but she didn't second guess him. In fact, she claimed she was going to decorate the horse to look like Nelly.

While they waited for the sugar cookies to be done, Daryl and Sophia were given the task of plucking the goose and skinning the rabbits outside on the porch so they went out to do so.

"This is a big bird, dad," Sophia claimed as she yanked out a hunk of feathers and put them in the bag Patricia had provided, claiming she would use the down for a pillow and the feathers would go to Daryl for arrow fletching.

"Mhm," Daryl replied as he carefully cut the skin from his first rabbit, "It's a Canadian Goose. Never ate one, they were protected before all this shit happened."

"You shot an endangered animal!?" Sophia looked horrified and she eyed the feathers in her hand with wide eyes.

"No! No, it ain't endangered," Daryl quickly assured her, "It was just illegal."

Sophia nodded, seemingly appeased. Soon enough they had accomplished their task and they washed off their freshly plucked and skinned animals at the well before taking it all back inside to be cooked. Carol immediately started soaking the goose in something and set it aside, the rabbits were set aside till it was time to cook the meat and fish.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After the cookies came out of the oven, Carol put the goose in.

"That's going to take a few hours to cook," she said, "We can have the boys cook the rabbits and fish over the fire outside so it's all done around the same time."

Daryl felt a tug on the hem of his shirt and looked down to see Sophia's excited eyes.

"Now we get to decorate the cookies!" she whispered, her eyes shining. "It's the best part!"

Lori and Patricia set down five small bowls of brightly colored homemade icing.

"I want the red!" Sophia squealed as she snatched the bowl of red icing and a butter knife to spread it with.

"I get blue!" Carl stated, likewise claiming his bowl.

"Yellow!" Lori said, holding back her chosen bowl.

"White!" Merle's sudden exclamation made everyone at the table jump in surprise. Merle and Andrea stood in the doorway of the kitchen with a basket full of brightly colored packages, Andrea snatched the basket away and ran up the stairs with it while Merle took a seat at the table across from Daryl and claimed his bowl of white icing.

Carol smiled brightly as she sat next to Daryl with her bowl of green icing and a box full of assorted sprinkles.

"You want to ice or sprinkle?" she asked, offering both out to him. Daryl claimed the sprinkles with a grin.

The decorating began. Daryl's first cookie to sprinkle was a yellow star and he simply shook some blue sugar on it and set it aside. The next was a red horse and this one was done with much more care.

"Wow, that's awesome!" Sophia exclaimed as she examined the finished horse cookie. It had brown sprinkles for the mane, tail and hooves, blue circle sprinkles for eyes, and a green sprinkle saddle with a holly leaf and berry on its flank.

"Who knew you was an artist, little brother?" Merle sneered, but Carol noticed amusement in his eyes and not his old taunting gleam.

Cookie after cookie, snowflakes and bells and angels and rabbits and snowmen and santas...finally the last cookie was sprinkled and they all sat back with a sigh.

"They're so beautiful," Sophia sighed as she began loading the cookies onto cooling racks to let the icing harden.

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Everyone gathered for dinner as the sun began to set over the cow pasture, chores were done and everyone's bellies were rumbling from the smells coming from the kitchen. Glenn brought in the pan full of smoked fish and the rabbit and the feast was all there.

"Sit, sit, everybody," Carol sing songed as she pulled chairs out from around the huge dining room table. The tablecloth was dark red and white candles on crystal holders stood in the center surrounded by garland and fake holly leaves. The holiday dishes finished off the look, the whole display was stunning to everyone's beauty starved eyes.

Hershel took his place at the head of the table and Rick took the other end with Carl, everyone else filled in where they wanted.

"Goose," Lori stated happily as she set the steaming goose on the table on Hershel's side of the table.

"Trout!" Patricia smiled as she set the platter of fish on Rick's end.

"And rabbit!" Carol laughed, setting the rabbit next to the fish.

"Mashed potatoes!" Andrea squealed as she set her bowl down.

"Lima beans." Maggie stated unenthusiastically as she placed her bowl down. "I hate lima beans."

Everyone laughed as the ladies left to get the rest of the food.

"Cinnamon apples!"

"Peas!"

"Cranberry sauce!"

"And last, but not least, a lovely mixture of assorted animal organs."

"Dibs on the hearts!" Merle immediately said, Daryl's mouth was open to claim the same and he glared at his brother. "Sorry, little brother, but dibs wins it."

"Hearts!?" Carl shuddered.

"They're delicious!" Sophia licked her lips, "Daddy always keeps them for himself but he shares with me. Mom doesn't like them but I do!"

Carl looked a little sick but just swallowed thickly and didn't reply.

"We also have apple cider and a few kinds of soda the boys brought back from their run," Maggie said, "Who wants what?"

Once everyone had their drinks and Maggie sat down, Hershel gave a long blessing over the food and the night ahead...finally everyone was free to enjoy the beautifully made meal and Merle even took pity on Daryl and Sophia and plopped a few rabbit hearts on their plates.

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After dinner was over, everyone dragged their overstuffed bellies into the living room and collapsed in various sitting places, everyone except Carl and Sophia.

"Can we open presents?" Carl asked.

"Can we sing Christmas songs?"

"Can you read the Christmas story?" Beth asked Hershel. Hershel smiled and nodded towards his Bible that sat on the table near the doorway which Beth fetched for him.

"The book of Luke tells us the wonderful story of why we celebrate this holiday," Hershel began solemnly, "The story of a very special baby's birth."

He cracked open the well used book and skimmed to the page he wanted and sat back to be more comfortable as he began to read: "In those days, Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world and everyone went to the town of his birth to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth to Judea, to the town of Bethlehem the town of David for he was from the line of David. He went to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them at the inn."

A silence had fallen over the room as Hershel's voice read with passion and feeling, it was clear to everyone how important the words were to him.

"And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks by night. And angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Fear not! For I bring you good tidings of great joy that will be for all people! Today in the city of David a Savior has been born unto you; He is the Messiah, the Lord. And this will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

"Isn't that beautiful?" Carol whispered to Daryl. Daryl nodded with his eyes fixed on Hershel.

"Suddenly a great company of the Heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying: 'Glory to God in the highest Heaven, and on earth peace and goodwill to men!' So the shepherds hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him they went out and spread the word concerning what they had seen and heard and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all that they had seen and heard, which were just as they had been told."

Hershel closed the Bible softly and the only sound to be heard was the sound of the fireplace crackling.

"I think now would be a perfect time for the songs," Patricia said softly, placing her hand on Beth's shoulder with a smile. Beth stood up and walked to the piano and took her seat on the bench. She placed her fingers on the keys and began to softly play the notes of "Silent Night", soon her voice joined as she added the words. One by one, people began to join in, even Daryl and Merle to the surprise of everyone.

Song after song they sang: "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, What Child is This?, God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen and all the older hymns. But they also sang song like Frosty the Snowman and The Christmas Song and White Christmas. Finally, the last notes of the piano and echo of voices faded into silence.

The mood was relaxed and calm, everyone pondering their own thoughts. But it was short lived because Carl stood up and walked to the tree.

"I'll be the elf, Sophia, you can hand them out!" he stated, picking up one of the neatly wrapped packages from under the tree. Sophia stood up and joined him. "This one is for Patricia."

Sophia took the small package to where Patricia sat next to Beth on the piano bench. She took it with a smile and opened the box wrapped in shiny silver paper. Inside was a beautifully carved figure of a fox and she picked it up to examine it closely.

"It's beautifully done," she said in awe, "Such perfect detail! Thank you, Jimmy."

Jimmy blushed and nodded with a smile.

"This one is for Beth!" Carl called, handing Sophia a flat package wrapped in red paper with a green stick on bow. "From Carl."

Beth took the package with a grin and ripped it open unceremoniously. A flat piece of smoothly polished wood lay on her lap, painted yellow on one side with the words "Life is worth living with family by your side" in blue.

"Thank you, Carl," she said with a shy smile in his direction, "Nothing could be more true."

"For my dad," Carl picked up the next gift, a square box wrapped in gold with a white ribbon around it. "From...you, Sophia!"

Sophia giggled and took the box to Rick who took it with a knowing grin as he felt the weight of it. It was a box of bullets for his Python.

"Perfect," he said to Sophia, "This is literally just what I needed."

"Dad picked them up for me," Sophia giggled, "But I thought of it!"

"To Glenn, from Andrea." Carl named the next gift. He tossed the red wrapped box to Sophia who skipped over to hand it to Glenn.

"New socks!" Glenn laughed, "This is the first time in life I've been happy to get clothes for Christmas!"

Everyone laughed, thoroughly agreeing.

"Andrea's from Maggie," Carl handed up the next package, his head stuck deep under the tree as he reached further back for the next one. Sophia handed the green box to Andrea.

"A new pistol?!" Andrea squealed, handling the shiny black weapon gently. "It's just what I need, Mags! And bullets to go with it! Perfect!"

"For Jimmy from Patricia," Carl hollered from under the tree, pushing a blue wrapped box out. Sophia struggled to lift the large box but managed to drag it to where Jimmy sat. It contained a collection of books, mostly classic novels.

"To...you from Hershel!" Carl stated as he pushed out another package, gold with red ribbons.

Sophia gleefully sat down and tore open the wrappings. She pulled out her old doll that Daryl had found in the river, but the doll was fresh and new looking, sewn up and the face restitched.

"Oh, Mr. Hershel! I had forgotten all about her!" Sophia squealed happily as she hugged the doll close. "Thank you very much for fixing her!" 

Hershel smiled and told her it was his pleasure.

"Carol's from Glenn!" Carl stated, scooting out from under the tree with a white package with blue ribbons. Sophia happily took the box to her mother and set her doll next to Daryl on the couch.

Carol opened the box and clapped her hand over her mouth, stifling a shocked gasp and then laughter. Daryl curiously looked into the box and sent an amused glare in Glenn's direction.

"Figured you two could use them," Glenn shrugged.

Carol handed the box of various personal lubricants to Daryl and told him to close it and not let Sophia see. He shoved the box behind him and half sat on it to avoid _anyone_ seeing it, not just Sophia!

"To Maggie from T-Dog!" Carl said, clearly unaware of the laughter in the room. He shoved out a blue wrapped package and Sophia skipped over to deliver it.

Maggie pulled out the still packaged kukri and grinned.

"I am going to need this, I have a feeling," she stated grimly. "Thank you, T-Dog. I will use it well."

"I have no doubt about that," T-Dog nodded, "Sorry it's not a more happy gift, but I wanted it to be something you need. A weapon of your own for you to be excellent with like Daryl with his crossbow and Rick with his big ass gun."

That statement broke the tension and laughter floated around the room again as Rick comically looked down at his gun.

"This one is for Hershel," Carl passed out a silver package wrapped elegantly with green sparkly ribbon. "From my mom."

Hershel took the package from Sophia and opened it reverently, it contained a collection of bandages, ointment and other first aid necessities.

"We can never have too much of things like this," Hershel stated with a nod, "And I thank you, Lori, for thinking of it."

Lori nodded in return with a smile.

"To T-Dog," Carl handed Sophia a small red package with a white stick on bow. "From Carol."

T-Dog pulled the cigarettes out of the box with a grin as big as Texas and laughed happily.

"You know me well, woman!" he said happily. "Thanks, Carol!"

"Anytime, T-Dog." Carol replied with a laugh.

"To my mom," Carl hollered from behind the tree, he slid out a box wrapped in gold. "From Daryl. This ought to be good!"

Sophia picked up the box with a grin and handed it Lori.

"I know what it is," she whispered, "You'll love it!"

Lori's eyes misted as she pulled out the tiny, furry baby moccasin-type shoes and she looked over at Daryl in disbelief, he just shrugged.

"It only took a little bit of rabbit skin," he stated, "Figured the kid needed some warm stuff."

Lori also pulled out a rabbit skin cap sized perfectly for a baby.

"Daryl," she stated softly, "They're perfect. Thank you so much for thinking of her." 

Daryl nodded, looking uncomfortable at the praise.

"To Merle," Carl shoved out a tiny, tiny box wrapped in green. "From my dad."

Sophia handed the tiny box to Merle who had some trouble opening it with one hand. He gently picked out the bullet casing from in the box and held it up to inspect. Inscribed in the bullet was the word "Trust".

"That's the casing of the bullet you used to shoot Shane," Rick stated quietly, "You won your place among us that day. We all trust you, Merle, we all want you to know and remember that."

Merle noticed the bullet was connected to a necklace chain and he hung it around his neck with a tightly clenched jaw, trying to keep his emotions in check.

"Thank you, Rick," he said thickly, "It means a lot to hear that."

"And for Daryl," Carl scooted out from under the tree with the final package, wrapped sloppily in newspaper. "From Merle."

Sophia happily took the gift over to Daryl, who took it carefully, not meeting anyone's eyes. He slowly opened the box and stared at the contents for a long while in silence.

"Well?" Sophia asked impatiently, "What is it?"

Daryl silently held up a set of keys.

"For my bike, little brother," Merle stated, "You took good care of her, I want you to have her."

Daryl swallowed loudly and cleared his throat. He looked over at Merle with glistening eyes.

"That bike means everything to you," he said softly.

"Not more than you, shit-head," Merle replied seriously.

The silence in the room was heavy as everyone held their breath, waiting for Daryl's reaction.

Daryl closed his eyes and closed his hand over the keys, gripping them tightly. Then he visibly relaxed and a wide smile spread over his face as he lifted his head.

"I never thought I'd hear ya say that, brother," he said simply, the brother both nodded to each other and that was enough for them to both grasp the enormity of the other's feelings.

"I don't know about everyone else," Sophia said loudly, "But this has been the best Christmas of my life!"

And everyone in the room agreed, falling back into their own minds as they watched the flames in the fireplace crackle.

"Hey, look!" Carl called from the window seat, "It's snowing again!"

Sure enough, thick flakes were fluttering down from the sky, blanketing the ground in white, shining in the moonlight. It had been a long time since any one in that room had seen anything so peaceful and beautiful. It was indeed a wonderful Christmas and everyone was relaxed for the first time in a very long time...for as long as it lasted.


End file.
